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Exploring Water Storage Practices and Determinants for Sustainable Water Supply in Tropical Environments: Advancing
Timothy O Ogunbode1, Victor O Oyebamiji2, Timothy A Akinkuolie1
1Environmental Management and Crop Production Unit, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria.
Environmental Health Insights
|June 8, 2026
Summary
Seasonal water shortages necessitate household water storage in tropical regions. Socio-demographic factors and assets, not just water availability, significantly influence household water storage practices in Nigeria.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Seasonal water supply variability in tropical humid environments necessitates household water storage for reliable domestic access.
- Understanding household water storage practices is crucial for ensuring water security and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine water storage practices and identify the determinants of storage behaviour in Iwo Township, Osun State, Nigeria.
- To investigate the influence of socio-demographic characteristics, household assets, and water availability on water storage preferences.
Main Methods:
- Stratified random sampling of 756 households in Iwo Township, Nigeria, between February and November 2023.
- Prioritization of female household heads in the survey due to their central role in water management.
- Factor analysis to identify key determinants of water storage preferences, with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure and Bartlett's test confirming data suitability.
Main Results:
- Steel and plastic drums were the primary storage methods (44.2%), followed by buckets (29.5%) and overhead tanks (20.4%).
- Factor analysis revealed 8 determinants of storage preferences, explaining 82.7% of the variance, including age composition, number of toilets, water supply reliability, religious activities, beliefs about storage, household assets, storage method, and alternative sources.
- Socio-demographic characteristics and household assets were found to be stronger influences on storage behaviour than water availability alone.
Conclusions:
- Interventions to enhance water security should focus on providing affordable household storage solutions and promoting safe storage practices through community awareness.
- Incentivizing improved water storage behaviours and integrating storage considerations into urban planning are essential for sustainable water management.
- Effective implementation requires collaboration between local governments, water agencies, and communities to ensure context-sensitive and equitable water management strategies.
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