Urban water usages in Egbeda area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract : The increasing urbanisation of Egbeda town has put pressure on the scarce freshwater resources for the multifarious household usages. 149 households were sampled to evaluate their water usages and needs through the use of prepared questionnaires. It is discovered that the town is entering the category of "water stressed" towns which is a typical phenomenon in the 21st Century developing urban cities. As the population increases, the per capita water share diminishes. Unfortunately, the limited freshwater available are below the WHO Drinking Water Standard as observed from the analysed samples from the four main sources. Major limitations observed is peculiar in a developing country like Nigeria which include lack of accurate data and the unwillingness of many households to participate in questionnaire interview. However, the method adopted remains a vital medium by which urban water usage can be evaluated in developing countries where there's no standard water metering supplying system.