Abstract:
Environmental sanitation problem is one of the important health problems in the world and
Ethiopia too. Therefore, a across sectional study was used to assess the environmental sanitation
condition of Nada town, South West Ethiopia. From a total of 1320 households, 240 households
were determined statically and questioners, interview and observational data collection
instrument were used. The result of the study indicate that, 121(50.42%) respondents were
illiterate, 90(37.5%) were merchant and the majority of the income of households 102(42.5%)
had got less than 200 birr per month, 150(62.5%) house were privately owned, walling and floor
materials were respectively, 224(93.33%) from wood with mud, and 220(91.67%) were earth.
Also poor housing condition was seen. Almost 225(93.75%) households use natural ventilation
system. More than 75% of householders got water from pipe water in which 52.08% were
accounted to public stand pipe and 5.42% from unprotected spring. Consumption rate of water
per households per day were, 142(59.17%) householder use between 20-40 liters, 66(27.5%)
between 41-60 liters and the rest 11(4.58%) and 21(8.75%) use between 61-80 and >80 liter of
water for both personal hygiene and consumption purpose respectively and as a result the
consumption rate of the householders were low. 204(95.32%) householders were use simple
traditional pit latrine in unsanitary condition and also unsafe disposal methods of refuse was seen
with 165(68.75%) open field, 23(9.58%) burning in the street and 22(9.17%) burning in the yard
or compound. Only 30(12.5%) of households use refuse pit. Latrine availability was statically
not associated with both monthly income and educational status of householders with p-value
>0.1. Generally as the result indicates, most households use simple pit traditional latrine with
unsanitary condition, practice unsafe waste disposal methods at all and mostly they got water
from protected source with low consumption rate. To solve this problem, the health sector,
sanitarian and town administration should collaborate with each other and with other sectors
to alleviate the problems.
