Assessment of Water Use across different Wards in Minna Town, Niger State, Nigeria

Water is an important resource on the surface of the earth. Some areas however have low supply and consumption of water than the others. In some cities across the world, water scarcity has become a serious challenge which residents undergo on daily basis. Therefore, this study investigated water consumption across different wards in Minna Town, Niger State, Nigeria. The study used multistage cluster sampling methods of different wards where 400 questionnaires were administered and interviews conducted. The result showed that most residents in Minna Town used the water supply for domestic purposes than industrial and agriculture purposes. Kpakungu (17.8%) had the highest domestic use of water. However, Limawa B, Soje and Kpakungu with 12.5% each were the three wards with the highest rates of industrial water consumption. Nasarawa B (29%) and Soje (15%) had the highest consumption of water supply for agricultural purposes. It was found that high density areas had the highest consumption rate of water and the Chanchaga Water Board could not adequately supply the required quantities of water for Minna residents. Therefore, the study has recommended that the government and city planners should improve water supply, develop and enforce a good water management framework that will meet the water needs of Minna residents without further delay.