Safe Water Access and Associated Factors Among Households in Bunyangabu District-Western Uganda

Introduction: Access to safe water is a public health problem in Western Uganda with 34% of the population in Bunyangabu district not able to access safe water. Despite the declaration by WHO that access to safe water is a human right and the Uganda government recent investment in protection of public water sources, a significant proportion of the people in Bunyangabu district Western Uganda, still lack access to safe water for drinking and household use. This study was aimed at determining the proportion of safe water access and the associated factors associated to safe water access among households in Bunyangabu District -Western Uganda. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 329 household heads in Bunyangabu district Western Uganda between 22/03/2024 and 30/11/2024. Simple and stratified random sampling methods were used to select the study area and the respondents. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were employed to investigate the relationships between safe water access and various independent variables, including demographics, social economic, and administrative factors. Results: The findings revealed that adequate safe water access was 66.3%. Comparatively, 33.7% lacked adequate access. Socioeconomic factors that significantly influenced access to safe water among household’s include household size (aOR = 0.574; p = 0.004; CI 0.450–2.270), age of the household head (aOR = 3.228; p < 0.001; CI 1.154–9.023). Sex of the household head (aOR = 0.767; p < 0.001; CI 0.475–1.239), and income of the household head (aOR = 7.12; p = 0.024; 0.538–2.417). The administrative factor that was associated with safe water access was functionality of the water user committees (OR = 7.142). CI 4.285 to 11.93 P < 0.001 Conclusion: The proportion of people accessing safe water in Bunyangabu district is still low (66.3%.) when compared the National target of 85%. The factors associated to the low access to safe water among households include number of house hold members, age of the household occupants, sex of the household head, income of the household head and presence of a functional water user committee.