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Effect of Drinking-Water Quality Education on Safe Water Consumption Practices among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water is an important public health concern because consumption of contaminated water may contribute to waterborne diseases, gastrointestinal infections, and other health problems. University students in Nigeria may obtain drinking water from different sources, including public water supplies, boreholes, wells, water vendors, sachet water, bottled water, and other sources whose quality may vary. Limited knowledge of drinking-water quality, contamination risks, household and personal water treatment, safe storage, and hygienic handling may increase students' exposure to unsafe water. Drinking-water quality education provides an opportunity to improve students' knowledge of water contamination risks and promote appropriate practices for obtaining, treating, storing, and consuming drinking water. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of drinking-water quality education on safe water consumption practices among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Health Literacy Theory. The Health Belief Model explains how students' perceptions of susceptibility to waterborne diseases, perceived severity of unsafe water consumption, perceived benefits of safe-water practices, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their water-related behaviours. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes observational learning, behavioural modelling, self-efficacy, reinforcement, and environmental influences in developing and maintaining safe water consumption practices. Health Literacy Theory emphasizes individuals' ability to obtain, understand, evaluate, and apply health information to make appropriate decisions concerning drinking-water safety. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how drinking-water quality education may influence safe water consumption practices among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students aged 18 years and above enrolled in selected public and private universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, universities, faculties or departments, levels of study, and eligible students. Drinking-water quality education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to water-quality education sessions, frequency and duration of education, knowledge of common sources of water contamination, recognition of microbial and chemical contamination risks, understanding of water-quality indicators, knowledge of appropriate water-treatment methods, safe water storage, hygienic water handling, interpretation of basic water-quality information, and awareness of reliable drinking-water sources. Safe water consumption practices will be assessed using indicators such as use of treated or certified drinking water, appropriate water treatment where necessary, safe water storage, use of clean and covered containers, regular cleaning of water-storage containers, hygienic handling of drinking water, avoidance of questionable water sources, safe purchase and handling of packaged water, appropriate response to changes in water quality, and appropriate practices when water contamination is suspected. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, safe-water practice assessment tools, water-source observation checklists, and relevant university environmental health records where available. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic characteristics, drinking-water sources, water-treatment practices, water-storage methods, exposure to education, and safe water consumption practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of drinking-water quality education on safe water consumption practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, safe water practice scores before and after the educational intervention may be compared with those of a comparison group to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that drinking-water quality education has a significant positive effect on safe water consumption practices among university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured and practical drinking-water quality education are expected to demonstrate better practices regarding water-source selection, treatment, storage, handling, and consumption than students without comparable exposure. Education may improve students' ability to recognize potential contamination risks, understand appropriate water-treatment methods, maintain hygienic storage conditions, and make informed decisions about the safety of drinking water. Practical demonstrations may also improve students' confidence in applying safe-water practices in hostels, residences, and other university environments. However, unreliable water supplies, limited access to affordable treatment methods, poor water-storage facilities, financial constraints, inadequate water-quality information, and limited availability of safe drinking water may reduce the effectiveness of education alone. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, evidence-based, and continuous drinking-water quality education, supported by reliable water and sanitation infrastructure, to contribute significantly to improved safe water consumption practices among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on drinking-water quality, safe water consumption, water sanitation and hygiene, environmental health, waterborne disease prevention, health education, health promotion, university environmental health, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, water and environmental health agencies, healthcare professionals, environmental health officers, public health practitioners, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for improving drinking-water safety among university students. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating drinking-water quality education into university health-promotion programmes, strengthening awareness of water contamination risks, promoting appropriate water treatment and storage practices, improving access to safe drinking water, strengthening environmental health monitoring within universities, and developing sustainable safe-water interventions for university students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Drinking-water quality education, safe water consumption practices, university students, water quality, water sanitation and hygiene, waterborne diseases, environmental health, health education, health promotion, Nigeria, public health.