Abstract:
The immense increase in residential developments around universities to provide private
accommodation for the rapidly growing university student population has constrained the
provision of a safe, clean, and sufficient water supply. The main objective of the study was
to assess the water supply sources for University of Kabianga off-campus students residing
within Kabianga University town. Among its specific objectives were establishing the
sources of water available for non-resident students of the University of Kabianga,
determining the water consumption patterns among non-resident students of the University
of Kabianga and establishing the challenges for accessing water for non-resident students
of the University of Kabianga. Undertaking this study will help in providing solutions to
mitigate water supply problems and their resultant impacts, the key being health risks
within the non-resident students` hostels. The findings of this study will provide a basis for
the provision of a sustainable water supply of adequate quality to non-resident students`
hostels at the University of Kabianga and inform the stakeholders of appropriate measures
that should be put in place to ensure adequate water supply to their tenants. The study relied
on a descriptive survey design. Its target population was the non-resident students (673
students) of the University of Kabianga, from whom a sample size of 251 students was
selected. 53% of the participants were males, while 47% were females. Simple random
sampling was used to select the participants, while random sampling was utilized to choose
the study's private hostels (15 hostels since they had a large population of students). The
tools for data collection included questionnaires, key informant interviews, photography
and an observation guide. The collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for
Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate descriptive statistics and other statistical outputs
presented using tables, pie charts, and graphs. According to the findings, most respondents
(68%) relied on rainwater during the rainy season. Most students (46%) relied on
wells/boreholes, while 44% relied on private vendors during the dry season. Most (69%)
non-resident students of the University of Kabianga experienced severe water shortages,
especially during the dry seasons. The per capita household water consumption is
40.9756lpcd (sd= 18.87292), thus indicating water inadequacy since one should use an
average amount of 50L per day. Most respondents (77%) indicated that the cost of water
was very high during the dry season, with prices of a 20-litre Jerrican of water -selling
between 15-25 Kenya shillings, thus rendering it unaffordable. Moreover, water prices
fluctuate depending on the season and demand for water. It was also established that the
challenges the students encounter while accessing water affect their education, daily
expenses, and personal health (mental and physical). In addition, a lot of time
(approximately 30-60 minutes daily) that they could have used to do part of their academic
work is wasted since the water sources are unreliable. Therefore, a safe and more reliable
water source suitable for all uses, like piped water, is required to ensure the health and
safety of the non-resident students of the University of Kabianga. Further, the landlords
should partner with the water vendors to establish a fair water price for their tenants to
avoid student exploitation, especially in dry seasons when the costs are increased
depending on the demand, as the cultural water management theory recommends.
