SPATIAL IMPACT ANALYSIS OF COMMUNITY WATER BOREHOLES IN BIDA METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

The problems of urbanization as heighten concerns for water supply in urban centres in relation to demand and available quantity for supply from the local water board. In the light of this, water boreholes are seen as suitable alternative for the provision of community water supply. This has led to multiplicity of water boreholes utilities of different uses in Bida Metropolis, Niger State. This study aimed at analysing the spatial impact of community water boreholes in Bida metropolis. The spatial data of the utilities were collected using hand-held GPS tool and questionnaire was also administered to the users of the utilities. The data assembled was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Geographical Information System Application ArcGIS 10.1 software. A total of 135 community water boreholes utilities were identified within the 14 political wards of Bida. 112 (82.96%) of the Community Water Boreholes were functioning while 23 (17.04%) were not functional, 115 are motorised and 20 are manual and the Average Neighbour Analysis shows that the utilities are dispersedly distributed and also the study further revealed that the utilities lack proper maintenance and mostly are located with influence of community decision or choice not to planning regulations. The study therefore recommended that provision of community water boreholes should be based on the planning regulation by determining the most suitable site for the location of the utility through planning survey and procedures in order to allow for efficient and effective service and a maintenance department be set up to monitor the condition of these utilities and implement proper maintenance pattern for the utilities and also employed the use of standard materials during installation for long time span and sustainability.