This study assesses households’ water availability and accessibility in the twelve (12)
political wards of Ilorin East L.G.A, Kwara State, Nigeria. The specific objectives include:
examination of the types of housing units of the inhabitants; identification of the various sources
of water available within the study area; determination of the accessibility of households to these
sources of water in terms of distance; and identification of the households within the wards that
are disadvantaged in terms of distribution of piped borne water. All the twelve wards within the
study area were sampled and stratified systematic sampling technique was employed to sample
one woman per household to make two hundred and forty (240) women representing 20
respondents per ward. Chi-square was also used to examine whether or not there is a
relationship between types of house lived in and sources of water. Z-score was used to compare
the households within the wards in terms of pattern of distribution of supply of pipe borne water
in the study area. The result revealed that some respondents who lived in duplex and flats have
their own personal boreholes while those living in rooms in row and compound houses rely on
public well, stream and rivers. Majority of the sampled respondents do not have access to pipe
borne water. The study further revealed a significant relationship between type of house lived in
and source of water with calculated-value (470.5) and tabulated value (49.8). Furthermore,
Marafa/Pepele ward is the best with a z-score 1.96 while Magaji ward II is the worst with zscore
of -0.01. It can be concluded that most of the settlements in the sampled wards do not have
access to pipe borne water. Recommendation include that government, community efforts as well
as Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) should be encouraged to participate in making pipe
borne water available and accessible for all the communities. Also, non-functioning boreholes
can be repaired and provision of new ones.