Industrial Water Supply in Nnewi Urban Area of Anambra State, South Eastern Nigeria

This paper examines the pattern and problems of industrial water supply in Nnewi urban area. Fifteen industries within the urban area were purposefully selected and investigated. Relevant data were collected through the use of oral interview, structured questionnaire, and field observations. The data were analyzed through the use of descriptive statistics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA was used to isolate major underlining dimensions responsible for inadequate water supplies to the sampled industries. Twenty eight (28) predictor variables were used in the analysis. The results revealed the total water need of the sampled industries as well as the gap between supply and demand. Public water supply schemes in the urban area are incapacitated to the extent of near total collapse Poor service delivery and limited service coverage has forced industrialists to resort to alternative supply sources, as opposed to supply from state water utilities. Five of the analyzed variables returned the highest mean values indicating that they had the strongest influence on industrial water supply in the study area. Three principal components were extracted; PC1 represents the influence of inadequate water infrastructure. PC2 and PC3 indicate the influence of poor service delivery and the absence of suitable alternative water supply sources respectively. Improvement in public water supply in Nnewi is a matter that requires immediate attention and the use of innovative strategies as suggested in our recommendations.