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Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis
Version 1
: Received: 22 October 2024 / Approved: 23 October 2024 / Online: 23 October 2024 (19:46:29 CEST)
How to cite:
Tseole, N. P.; Mutero, T. I.; Chimbari, M. J. Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024101854. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1854.v1
Tseole, N. P.; Mutero, T. I.; Chimbari, M. J. Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis. Preprints 2024, 2024101854. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1854.v1
Tseole, N. P.; Mutero, T. I.; Chimbari, M. J. Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis. Preprints2024, 2024101854. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1854.v1
APA Style
Tseole, N. P., Mutero, T. I., & Chimbari, M. J. (2024). Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1854.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Tseole, N. P., Tinashe Innocent Mutero and Moses John Chimbari. 2024 "Exploring the Key Factors Influencing Water Scarcity for Domestic Use in Rural Communities of uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa: A Quantitative Analysis" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202410.1854.v1
Abstract
Water scarcity persists to be a pressing health concern globally and rural South Africa is not exempted. It exacerbates exposure to waterborne pathogens, resulting in substantial negative health consequences. Despite access to clean water being a constitutional right in South Africa, water scarcity remains a formidable challenge contributing to poor hygiene and sanitation in the country. This qualitative study investigated the factors contributing to water scarcity and the coping mechanisms employed by rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to collect data. The findings revealed infrastructural challenges, political inaction, climate change and population growth as key determinants of water scarcity in uMkhanyakude. Community members primarily relied on greywater reuse and storing of water in multiple containers to mitigate the effects of water scarcity. It is essential for South African government to prioritize initiatives addressing water scarcity in neglected rural areas to ensure equitable access to clean water and to mitigate the associated health risks.
Keywords
Water scarcity; hygiene; sanitation; rural areas
Subject
Public Health and Healthcare, Public, Environmental and Occupational Health
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
