Application of GIS in identifying suitable sites for location of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities :

Abstract

Water and sanitation are fundamental for living, wellness, self-regard, empowerment and prosperity. They are human rights, basic to every child and adult. But in Uganda, poor sanitation and hygiene, as well as unequal access to safe drinking water, make thousands of children very sick and at risk of death. Furthermore, in Uganda, close to a tenth of the population practises open defecation and two thirds of households do not wash hands with soap. Poor people mostly carry the burden of poor sanitation. Like most cities and towns in developing countries, Busia town is experiencing rapid urbanization leading to an increase in the urban population and rapid growth in the size and number of informal settlements. More than 60% of the town’s population resides in these settlements, where they experience inadequate and poor-quality urban services including sanitation. In terms of sanitation, majority of the dwellers in these settlements use traditional pit latrine technology, which is considered cheap given their level of income. The provision of appropriate facilities for defecation is also an essential response for people’s dignity, safety, health and well-being. By understanding geography and people's relationship to location, we can make informed decisions about the way we live on our planet. This research applied geographic information system and Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation tools for decision making in the siting of the suitable areas for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene facilities based on the following criteria; Slope, lithology, soil, Depth to groundwater table, Population density, Accessibility, and Proximity to Handwashing facilities. In order to achieve this, each of the criterion will have its relevant thematic layer generated and assigned weights that will be calculated using Analytical Hierarchy Process and followed a weighted overlay analysis to ascertain the suitability of the area for the intended use. The study area will be zoned into Four suitability classes; Very, Moderate, suitable and least suitable. Conclusively, the combination of Geographic Information System and Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation has shown to be a fruitful tool in land suitability evaluation. Keywords Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Geographic information systems, Multi Criteria Evaluation, Suitability, Criteria, Weight, Sensitivity Analysis, Analytical Hierarchy Process.