Contamination of water sources creates a significant economic burden on the rural poor. The impact of water contamination has a link to human behaviour, knowledge and attitude. This research investigates the relationship between Human Behaviour, Practices and Contamination of Rural Water Resources in Eket Local Government Area, Nigeria. The study sampled persons who interact at most on a daily basis with natural water sources in rural communities. Study revealed predominant human practices and behaviour to include open defecation into or beside water bodies, dead animal and human bodies deposits, feeding of cattle with weeds around and water sources, clearing of farmlands, bush burning, waste dump into drainage systems, ravine and erosion sites, use of chemical bait in fish farming and processing of cassava in streams. Conclusively, the findings reveal a significant relationship between human behaviour, practices and its influence on contamination of water sources in rural communities.
Contamination of water sources creates a significant economic burden on the rural poor. The impact of water contamination has a link to human behaviour, knowledge and attitude. This research investigates the relationship between Human Behaviour, Practices and Contamination of Rural Water Resources in Eket Local Government Area, Nigeria. The study sampled persons who interact at most on a daily basis with natural water sources in rural communities. Study revealed predominant human practices and behaviour to include open defecation into or beside water bodies, dead animal and human bodies deposits, feeding of cattle with weeds around and water sources, clearing of farmlands, bush burning, waste dump into drainage systems, ravine and erosion sites, use of chemical bait in fish farming and processing of cassava in streams. Conclusively, the findings reveal a significant relationship between human behaviour, practices and its influence on contamination of water sources in rural communities.