Safe drinking water supply under extreme climate events: evidence from four urban sprawl communities

In this study, the impacts of climate variability/change on water supply in three urban sprawlcommunities were examined. Using historical satellite climate datasets and social surveys, the studyassesses the water stress during different seasons in urban sprawl communities. The primary data wasgathered through structured questionnaires and focused group discussions (FGDs) in variouscommunities throughout the study area. The stress of accessing drinking water was evaluated indifferent seasons and during climate extreme events. The correlation analysis was used to furtherexamine the relationship between specific variables and people’s perceptions of major observedclimate change as they induce water stress. The results from local people’s perception of climatechange impacts on safe drinking water supply reflect meteorological analysis, which indicates that themean minimum temperature has increased, 1.0° 1.3°C in the urban sprawl communities. Theresults indicate that age and time living in the neighbourhood have a significant influence on howpeople perceive and understand climate change as they induce water stress. These have resulted inmuch stress for women, who are forced to walk a long distance to fetch drinking water for thehouseholds, during the extremely dry seasons