Socio-Demographic and Access-Related Determinants of Untreated Hand-Dug Well Water use in Urban Slums of Abuja, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Access to safe and reliable drinking water remains a major public health challenge in many urban slum communities in Nigeria. In Abuja, increasing dependence on untreated hand-dug wells exposes households to significant risks of waterborne diseases. This study assessed the socio-demographic and access-related determinants of the use of untreated hand-dug well water among households in selected urban slum communities in Abuja, Nigeria. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 340 households selected from four urban slum communities within the Abuja Municipal Area Council using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire adapted from standard Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) survey instruments. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize study variables, while Chi-square analysis and binary logistic regression were performed to assess associations and predictors of untreated well-water use. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The prevalence of untreated hand-dug well water use was 51.8%, while 61.8% of respondents reported not treating water before consumption. Educational attainment significantly influenced water source choice, with respondents possessing a tertiary education less likely to rely on untreated wells (AOR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.21–0.56; p < 0.001). Larger households demonstrated higher dependence on untreated wells, particularly households with ten or more members (AOR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.38–3.90; p = 0.001). Households located more than 100 meters from water sources were less likely to use untreated wells (AOR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.46–0.95; p = 0.026). The study demonstrates that reliance on untreated hand-dug well water in Abuja’s urban slums is influenced by socio-demographic and access-related factors. Targeted interventions focusing on safe water infrastructure, household water treatment practices, environmental sanitation, and community-based WASH education are necessary to reduce exposure to unsafe water sources in underserved urban settlements.