Water Management, Rainwater Harvesting and Predictive Variables in Rural Households

Water management in rural domestic households plays an important role in reducing water-related health risks. This study was conducted to examine the relationships between the dependent variable (rural domestic rainwater management) and the independent predictive variables (personal characteristics, tank size, years of water harvest, rainwater harvesting associations, usage instructions including water borne health risk, and tank operation and maintenance) in Uganda. Logistic regression techniques were used on a random sample of 301 respondents to ascertain the influence of predictive variables on rural domestic rainwater management. Analyses of the hypothesised relationship revealed three statistically significant results: years of water harvest, rainwater harvesting associations and usage instructions. Overall, the findings suggest that consideration of usage instructions including waterborne health risks, years of harvest, and local water associations, will improve domestic water management, in combination with progressive measures focused on water quality and quantity. Moreover, medical expenses and time spent in hospitals or health dispensaries will be minimised and saved through utilisation of usage instructions. Experienced harvesting households, those with few years of harvest, and non participants as well in local water associations will easily enrich knowledge of how to minimise contracting water-related diseases.