Abstract
University campuses within Nigeria are facing the problem of providing portable water of adequate quantity and quality and the sustainability of such supply. This paper examines the water demand status of a public University in Nigeria, Federal University Otuoke (FUO). Domestic, Industrial, Fire, Water losses and Landscape irrigation water uses were considered while population forecasting was done using regression analysis for a 30 years design period (2024 – 2054). Results revealed possible population increase of 26.6 % by 2054 when the institution will clock 43 years. Water demand is also expected to rise sharply from 2,136.9 m3 day-1 (2024) to 22,164.4 m3 day-1 (2054); the existing system of water supply cannot satisfy the current population not to talk of the projected demand hence, a reservoir of about 23,000 m3 will be needed to service the university for the next 30 years. The non-residential population water demand was seen to be more than the residential population, owing to their increased number. Attracting more investments into the water supply system becomes imperative as the existing stand-alone boreholes supply system is totally not suitable and unsustainable.
References
A.K Mishra and R.K Singh (2017). Water management in universities: A review of challenges and opportunities. Journal of water resources planning and management, 143(10), 12-34. British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC). (2024). Water insecurity - the demand for water - Eduqas: Global distribution of water. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwfcnbk/revision/1. Cantin B., Shrubsole D. and Ai?t-Ouyahia M. “Using Economic Instruments for Water Demand Management: Introduction”, Canadian Water Resources Journal, Vol. 30, Number 1, 2005, pp. 1–10 Cypress Engineering. (2024). What is water demand? - Factors and management strategies. https://cypressei.com/engineering/what-is-water-demand/ Directorate of Works (DoW) and physical planning, FUO (2024). Unpublished Donkor E. A., Mazzuchi T. A, Soyer R. and Roberson J. A., “Urban Water Demand Forecasting: Review of Methods and Models”, J. Water Res. Plan. and Mgt. Vol. 140, Issue 2 (2014). Federal University Otuoke Master plan 2015. Unpublished Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Unit, FUO (2024). Unpublished United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). (2024). Water scarcity; Addressing the growing lack of available water to meet children’s needs. Retrived from https://www.unicef.org/wash/water-scarcity. Wikidata, (2024). Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State. Link, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22080808 Accessed on the 20/12/2024. Wikipedia (2024). Water. Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water. Accessed 24/11/2024.