Livelihoods, access to water and water consumption in a rural system for multiple uses

Ingenieria y Universidad: Engineering for Development

Inés Restrepo-Tarquino³  Ian Smout⁴  Isabel Cristina Dominguez²  Ricardo Oviedo-Ocaña¹  Wilmar Torres-López³ 

[1] a Escuela de Ingeniería Civil de la Universidad Industrial de Santander;Newcastle University;Universidad del Valle;Loughborough University

关键词: Access to water;    livelihoods;    Multiple Uses of Water (MUS);    Multivariate Analysis;    Principal Component Analysis;    Cluster Analysis;    Water consumption;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：工程和技术（综合）

来源: Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

【 摘 要 】

In developing countries, rural water supply systems, generally planned for a single purpose, are used for domestic and productive activities. Research has found linkages between access to water, poverty and livelihoods, thus, promoting the implementation of Multiple Uses of Water Systems (MUS). However, there is concern on how the richest users may exploit the highest levels of service promoted by MUS to the detriment of the poorest. This article analyses through a case study and using multivariate techniques (Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis): key variables to characterize the users of a MUS; identifies groups of users according to those variables and discusses implications of the findings in the design and management of systems. Results show correlations of the variables Homestead Area, Storage Capacity and Number of Cows, with Household Water Consumption. Additionally, two groups of customers with statistically significant differences for key variables are identified. The results suggest that rural water systems should not be designed with household size as the only criterion and the importance of variables associated with livelihoods and access to water. Finally, perspectives for incorporating the diverse users´ needs in the design and management of systems are presented.

【 授权许可】

Unknown