Sustainable development goal 6 and the challenge of pipe-borne water connectivity in a growing tropical city: a case study

Abstract Water dams have been constructed in various regions across the globe to enhance access to potable water. Among these, the Aiba water reservoir, commissioned in 1957, was envisioned as a pivotal source of treated water for Iwo and its environs. Unfortunately, despite its inauguration, the primary objective of ensuring a sustainable and reliable water supply to the community remains unrealized to date. This research seeks to evaluate the accessibility of the study area to pipe-borne water (PBW) and discern the driving forces through the administration of structured questionnaire across 480 respondents out of which 458 were retrieved for analysis. The study utilized both descriptive and inferential statistics, employing Statistical Product for Service Solutions (SPSS) version 23. The respondent demographic revealed that 83.6% were female, and 18.4% claimed paying water tariffs while 76.2% relied on groundwater as their principal source of water. The data showed revealed diverse factors hindering PBW connectivity namely: Administrative bottlenecks (12%), while 57% cited the availability of alternative water sources as a reason for not connecting to PBW; 9% reported poor infrastructure for PBW, and 18% highlighted the unreliability of water supply from Aiba Water Works (AWW). Further analysis through Factor Analysis (FA) pinpointed three salient variables significantly influencing PBW accessibility. These are proximity to the main network (42.557%); cost of connectivity (22.275%); and availability of other sources (14.480%). These findings underscored the critical importance of expanding the PBW network, given the prevalent non-proximity of most residences to the main water pipes. Moreover, the research suggests that capacity building initiatives should be implemented to enhance the economic well-being of citizens, thereby fostering an improved quality of life for the inhabitants of the studied area. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the complexities surrounding water accessibility and offers practical recommendations to realise SDG 6 by 2030. Graphical Abstract