Assessing environmental sanitation in Urban setting of Duken Town, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the environmental sanitation conditions with regard to water, sanitation, waste management and personal hygiene of households of Dukem town in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was used to conduct the research. A total of 391 households had participated in the study. Majority of households had access to improved source of drinking water. The mean per capita per day water consumption of the households was low. Two-thirds of households had improved toilet facilities. Availability of improved waste management was grossly inadequate. Two-thirds of households had washed hands after visiting toilet. Generally households had good domestic environmental sanitation conditions but it also emerged that the households were deprived from full range of access to the most essential environmental sanitation services. Therefore, the inadequate level of service to the study area could be seen as opportunity for further focused improvements towards universal access to improved environmental sanitation.