Safety First: Determinants Of Drinking Water Preferences Among Tertiary Students in a Ghanaian University

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water in Africa is a serious public health concern, and it is relevant for attaining SDG 6.1. Among university students in Ghana, determinants of drinking water source preferences remain understudied despite their distinct residential, financial, and institutional contexts. Underpinned by Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour, which links perceived behavioural control, attitude, and subjective norms to water choice, this study examined the determinants of drinking water source preference among students of the University of Education, Winneba, using a sample of 400 students selected via stratified sampling from halls of residence and off-campus hostels during the second semester of the 2022/2023 Academic Year. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and analysis employed descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression. Key findings indicate that sachet water was students’ most preferred source (OR?= 7.988; p = 0.005 for perceived healthiness), primarily due to perceived safety, even though piped water was most available. Reliability perceptions (OR?= 0.099; p = 0.002 for pipe-borne water) and financial responsibility were also significant predictors. The study found no significant relationship between place of residence and drinking water preference. The study recommends that the University management and hostel owners install water storage infrastructure and filtration systems, conduct regular water quality testing, and subsidise the cost of safe water access for students. The findings represent the water situation as of the 2022 data collection period and should be read with that temporal context in mind