| dc.description.abstract | The rapid urbanization is taking place across many developing countries, including
Somaliland, which creates major difficulties in terms of ensuring sufficient water
supplies to meet the parallel increasing demand. Thus, the study was conducted to
evaluate the effects of urbanization on the supply and availability of water in
Somaliland, with a special focus on Hargeisa City. The research emphasizes how
important it is to recognize the value of water and take into account its economic, social,
ecological, and cultural factors. In Somaliland, the number of people living in cities has
been consistently rising, and Hargeisa City is experiencing rapid growth and high
population density. The existing urban water infrastructure in the city is insufficient to
respond to the demands of its growing population. Consequently, almost 65% of the
population of Hargeisa depends on water that is transported by tankers and donkey cars
from poorly maintained and unreliable sources. Data was collected using primary and
secondary techniques. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, interviews,
and observations. From among the nine districts comprising the city of Hargeisa, two
primary districts were selected for the purpose of assessing the water supply system and
its associated factors. A total of 198 questionnaires containing 49 questions were
prepared and distributed to targeted community members (households), in Hargeisa
City. As well as, a total of 24 questions were prepared aiming for interviews to the
government and private water vendors officials. The collected data was analyzed using
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to visualize the result in various
expression forms (frequencies, percentages, correlations, and significant values). The
study discovered that a significant proportion (41% = 78 individuals) of households
utilizing pipeline tap water supplied by Hargeisa Water Agency spend monthly expenses
below $20. In contrast, the majority of households (43% = 84 individuals) that utilize
private water tankers pay between $35 and $50 per month, which is substantially more
than the first group. Moreover, the correlation analysis showed that a significant
negative correlation (R2=-0.246. p = 0.001) between household income and reliance on
the main water source, and a significant positive correlation (R2=0.14, p = 0.018)
between the utilization of private water vendors and their associated average monthly
cost. The majority of households (90%) stated climate change impacts on water supply,
in terms of changes in water availability and decreased rainfall. Overall, this study
concludes the challenges faced by Hargeisa city in meeting the water demand of its
growing urban population, including inadequate infrastructure, reliance on a single
water source, and with economic, environmental and social factors influencing water
supply. The study recommends to implement income-based tariff structures, explore
alternative water sources, conduct public awareness campaigns, monitor the water
supply system and promote effective water management through inclusive collaboration. | en_US |
