AN ASSESSMENT OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION ON HOUSEHOLDS’ WELFARE IN KABETE WARD, KENYA

Abstract

The main purpose of this research study was to establish social and economic effects of water pollution on households’ welfare in Kabete Ward, which is one of the Wards in Kabete constituency, Kiambu County, central of Kenya. The Ward has two Locations namely; Lower Kabete and Kibichiku. Kabete Ward was randomly purposively selected as the study area because it is the most highly populated among the Wards in Kabete constituency with a diverse socio-economic within Kiambu County and also convenient to the study. Qualitative descriptive study design was chosen for this research study in order to give a detailed historical description of the long term social and economic effects of water pollution to households’ welfare in Kabete Ward, Kabete constituency. To achieve the objective of this study, data was collected using structured questionnaire in a face-to-face interview. Prospective respondents were approached and requested to participate in the study. Detailed information about the study was given to the respondents, using understandable language before consent to participate was obtained. The study found that Kabete Ward community commonly use water drawn from man-hand dug wells. The study established that the wells are often polluted by various pollutants that include pit latrines overflows, domestic and livestock drainage among others. Disease outbreaks related to waterborne diseases are common in the area. The study recommended that, the government through the ministry of water and irrigation should as a matter of urgency provide quality and adequate water to the community. Also awareness campaigns on prevention and management of water pollution should be prioritized. Digging of pit latrines and extracting of groundwater should be controlled by the relevant authority.