Employing Water Demand Management Option for the Improvement of Water Supply and Sanitation in Nigeria

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assess the importance of Water Demand Management (WDM) strategy to the improvement of water supply and sanitation in Nigeria. Persistent water supply shortages and poor sanitation have since remained important features of the Nigerian urban and rural communities. Most often governmental solution to these problems has been to develop and exploit the available water resources and the level of sanitation for the people. This predominant approach which is also known as augmentation method is supply driven with the primary purpose being how best to meet the perceived water and sanitation demand. One of the major disadvantages of this approach is the huge financial involvement associated with it. Conversely, quite recently water resource managers have begun to direct attention on how consumers can be motivated to regulate the amount and manner in which they use and dispose water to alleviate pressure on freshwater supplies. This new approach is known as water demand management. It is demand driven in that consumers determine their own water need. Employment of WDM by consumers especially in water scarce areas as was discussed in the paper will decrease the amount of water use, thereby limiting unnecessary financial expenditure in exploiting new sources to meet the ever increasing demand.