Determinants of Domestic Water Use in Bauchi Metropolis: A Model Perspective

Abstract

There are various uses of water; domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural. However, water is a scarce resource and water shortages are experienced in Nigerian cities. Several factors are reported- inability to abstract water from source, rapid urbanization, changes in life style and economic activities, inadequate information on pattern of water use and determinants of water use. Determinants domestic of water use vary from place to place and their significance also vary. This study aimed at analyzing the determinants of domestic water use in Bauchi metropolis Data was collected using stratified systematic random sampling. 381 household were sampled and analyzed using SPSS software. The regression analysis has this model. Y = - 0.012 + 0.989X₁ + 1.997X₂ + 1.009X₃ + 1.002X₄ + 1.005X₅ + 0.996X₆ + 0.998X₇ + 1.997X₈ + 1.005X₉ + 1.000X₁₀+ 1.010X₁₁,. Result of the analysis reveals that price, gender, occupation and water source were leading determinants, while religion, household size, and education followed. The multiple correlation coefficient in R= 1.000 indicates that all the variables tested correlated positively with the dependent variable- domestic water use. As a further measure of the strength of the model, the SE of the regression (0.051) was compared with the STD of average water use (6.871). Since SE is much lower than STD, showed that the model is really fit for explaining the determinants of domestic water use in Bauchi metropolis.

Keywords: determinants, domestic, water use, model.