An Investigation Into Water Demand And Distribution In Ilorin West Local Government
[EGBEJILA]

The World Health Organization (WHO) carried out a survey in 1975 which revealed that only 22% of the rural population in developing countries had access to safe drinking water. The findings which were published in 1976, led to the declaration of 1981-1990 as the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, by the United Nations Water Conference (Dada et al., 1988). According to IMF (2003), growing water scarcities and water pollution in developing countries alike have plunged the world into a water crisis.
    In Kaduna State, the per capital portable water supply in 1976 was 76.4 liters per day. While the average proportion for the whole state was 32.1%, that Kaduna Capital Territory was 65.3%, Zaria Local Government Area was 62% and Jema’a Local Government Area was 21.5% in 1986, the per capital portable water supply rose from 76.4 liters to 101.9 liters a day. The average proportion for the whole state was 35.1%, whereas, Kaduna capital Territory was 75.2%, Zaria Local Government Area was 68.5% and Jema’a Local Government Area was 18.3% in term of the proportion of the population of the state accessible to portable water, there was no significant change in 1986 from the situation in 1976 (Onokerhoraye 1995).
    The demand for water is fast outpacing its availability for consumption and the supply of domestic water is seriously constrained by the rising population (Udoh and Etim, 2007). On account of this, the price of water, of whatever grade, increases daily and this is not helped by commercial water vendors who adopt arbitrary pricing of the product. For instance, a 25-liter can of water is sold for N30 in most parts of Lagos State. In Kano, as in most cities and towns in the Northern part of the country, a 25-liter can of water sells for N50 and is rising. The farther away the source of water supplies, the higher the cost (Oghifo, 2008).