Access to Safe Drinking Water in Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis of the Urban and Rural Areas of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Water is a “sin qua non” for virtually all human activities; a pre-requisite for sustainable development as the consequences of safe water for health, productivity and quality of life as well as implications for economic development are enormous. This study investigated the sources of water supply and challenges faced by inhabitants in accessing these water sources in three districts each of urban and rural Zaria, Nigeria, and compared the results. Descriptive statistics and average mean score (AMS) technique was applied, and requisite data presented in frequency and percentage tables. The results revealed that the urban dwellers had to travel longer distances, than the rural dwellers, to source water and that the sources of water supply varied with the season. Whilst the urban areas accessed wells and water vendors in the wet and dry seasons, respectively, for non-domestic water supply and water vendors for domestic water supply; all year round, residents of the rural areas sourced non-domestic water supply from rainfall in the rainy season and streams in the dry season. Conversely, wells and water vendors were accessed in the wet and dry seasons, respectively, for rural domestic water supply. The corollary is that water vendors and wells are the predominant sources of water in Zaria, Nigeria. The methods of water purification employed by the communities sampled and their challenges to safe and adequate water supply are discussed; and plausible solutions are proffered. In addition, some recommendations to mitigate poor access to water are also volunteered.