Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia
Abstract Climate change is expected to affect precipitation and temperature, with consequences for water availability and sanitation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how precipitation and temperature affect households’ decisions on sanitation facilities that vary in their dependence on w...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Springer
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Discover Water |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00238-6 |
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| author | Bahre Gebru Katarina Elofsson Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah George Marbuah |
| author_facet | Bahre Gebru Katarina Elofsson Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah George Marbuah |
| author_sort | Bahre Gebru |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change is expected to affect precipitation and temperature, with consequences for water availability and sanitation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how precipitation and temperature affect households’ decisions on sanitation facilities that vary in their dependence on water for operation. To this end, we use household-level panel data from the Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey in combination with location-matched, high-resolution weather data. Employing a panel fixed-effects regression model, the findings reveal that higher precipitation is significantly associated with an 18% lower (higher) likelihood of using improved (unimproved) sanitation facilities, respectively. Higher temperature has the opposite effect. Both precipitation and temperature have heterogeneous impacts: the effect of precipitation is significant only in male-headed households, while temperature affects the use of shared improved facilities in towns and urban areas. One potential explanation for the influence of precipitation is that heavy precipitation can disrupt access to piped water and sanitation networks by causing physical damage to infrastructure. Furthermore, higher temperature may accelerate the decomposition of solids in septic tanks, thereby reducing the need for water. These findings could help policymakers and practitioners implement evidence-based sanitation interventions to increase access to improved sanitation facilities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b6633f194a0e43c2a329c38331a6ec4d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2730-647X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Springer |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discover Water |
| spelling | doaj-art-b6633f194a0e43c2a329c38331a6ec4d2025-08-20T03:27:09ZengSpringerDiscover Water2730-647X2025-06-015111710.1007/s43832-025-00238-6Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in EthiopiaBahre Gebru0Katarina Elofsson1Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah2George Marbuah3Department of Government, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Social Sciences, Technology & Arts, Luleå University of TechnologyAfrican Development Bank, Côte d’IvoireAbstract Climate change is expected to affect precipitation and temperature, with consequences for water availability and sanitation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how precipitation and temperature affect households’ decisions on sanitation facilities that vary in their dependence on water for operation. To this end, we use household-level panel data from the Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey in combination with location-matched, high-resolution weather data. Employing a panel fixed-effects regression model, the findings reveal that higher precipitation is significantly associated with an 18% lower (higher) likelihood of using improved (unimproved) sanitation facilities, respectively. Higher temperature has the opposite effect. Both precipitation and temperature have heterogeneous impacts: the effect of precipitation is significant only in male-headed households, while temperature affects the use of shared improved facilities in towns and urban areas. One potential explanation for the influence of precipitation is that heavy precipitation can disrupt access to piped water and sanitation networks by causing physical damage to infrastructure. Furthermore, higher temperature may accelerate the decomposition of solids in septic tanks, thereby reducing the need for water. These findings could help policymakers and practitioners implement evidence-based sanitation interventions to increase access to improved sanitation facilities.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00238-6Climate variabilityEthiopiaPanel fixed effectsPrecipitationSanitation facilityTemperature |
| spellingShingle | Bahre Gebru Katarina Elofsson Franklin Amuakwa-Mensah George Marbuah Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia Discover Water Climate variability Ethiopia Panel fixed effects Precipitation Sanitation facility Temperature |
| title | Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia |
| title_full | Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia |
| title_short | Climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in Ethiopia |
| title_sort | climate variability and its impact on sanitation facility choice in ethiopia |
| topic | Climate variability Ethiopia Panel fixed effects Precipitation Sanitation facility Temperature |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s43832-025-00238-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bahregebru climatevariabilityanditsimpactonsanitationfacilitychoiceinethiopia AT katarinaelofsson climatevariabilityanditsimpactonsanitationfacilitychoiceinethiopia AT franklinamuakwamensah climatevariabilityanditsimpactonsanitationfacilitychoiceinethiopia AT georgemarbuah climatevariabilityanditsimpactonsanitationfacilitychoiceinethiopia |