A Thesis Submitted to the Board of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Conferment of the Masters of Science Degree in Environmental Planning and Management of the University Of Kabianga

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.