Access to Alternative Water Sources Used at Household Level and Households’ Perception towards Water Services in Lukobe Ward, Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

Drought and the consequent decline in water levels in dams, rivers, and streams have 
exacerbated water shortages in the Morogoro Region. In some instances, residents receive 
piped water only once or twice a week, often with low water pressure. This study was 
conducted in Lukobe Ward, one of the areas in Morogoro Region that faces severe challenges 
in accessing piped water. The article examines the accessibility of alternative water sources 
and explores households’ perceptions of the performance of water service delivery in Lukobe 
Ward, Morogoro Municipality. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and 
utilised a mixed-methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. 
Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and one-way Analysis of 
Variance (ANOVA), while qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Data were 
gathered from 120 respondents through household surveys, key informant interviews, and 
focus group discussions. Findings revealed significant differences in the distance to water 
sources among the three streets studied (F = 19.965; P = 0.000). The overall mean distance 
from households to water sources was 633.45 metres, with a standard deviation of 1015.77 
metres. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between Lukobe Kambi 
Tano and Lukobe Juu (P = 0.0581). Furthermore, a higher proportion of male respondents 
(60.0%) reported spending less than 60 minutes fetching water compared to female 
respondents (58.1%). The majority of households agreed that alternative water sources do 
not adequately meet domestic needs. Based on the findings, the study concludes that access 
to domestic water sources within the recommended 400 metres has not yet been achieved 
for most households in Lukobe Ward. It is therefore recommended that the Morogoro 
Municipal Council, through local government authorities, strengthen collaboration with key 
stakeholders including financial institutions to enhance the enabling environment for 
financing water and sanitation services in water-scarce communities.