Understanding water-related emotional distress for improving water services: a case study from an Ethiopian small town
Abstract
This paper introduces the concept of emotional distress as a means of measuring the direct experience of inadequate access to drinking water in a small town in Ethiopia under the UNICEF-Government of Ethiopia urban ONEWASH plus programme. The paper explores a new perspective on the relationship between water technologies, water services, household socio-economic characteristics (as predictors) and mental health in its broad definition. Results indicate that water-related emotional distress is predominantly associated with the ‘cost of water’ and the ‘size of household’. Quantity of water, reliability of the preferred source and accessibility were not significant predictors to emotional distress. Whether the household accessed a pipe into a compound or another improved source was not a significant predictor either. The safely managed target in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.1 focuses on the affordability, accessibility and safety of water but does not explore the relation between cost and water-related emotional distress. This evidence offers a complementary approach to the ‘affordability of water services’ as it looks beyond the mere financial implications of water costs.
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Traditional water interventions are primarily designed to promote physical health and do not necessarily aim at reducing psychosocial distress.
“The traditional water interventions are primarily designed to promote physical health and do not necessarily aim at reducing psychosocial distress (Stevenson et al., 2016; Thomas and Godfrey, 2018).”
From Psychological effects of water scarcity on community members: a case study of Lephalale municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa (2025) · cites this paper as Thomas and Godfrey, 2018
Emotional distress regarding water-related issues is linked to the cost of getting water.
“Consistent with the study findings, Thomas and Godfrey (2018) found that emotional distress regarding the water-related issues was linked to the cost of getting water.”
From Psychological effects of water scarcity on community members: a case study of Lephalale municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa (2025) · cites this paper as Thomas and Godfrey (2018)
Cites
Prüss‐Ustün, A., Bartram, J., Clasen, T., Colford, J. M., Cumming, O., Curtis, V., Bonjour, S., Dangour, A. D., De France, J., Fewtrell, L., et al. (2014) · Tropical Medicine & International Health · doi:10.1111/tmi.12329 · Cited by 1,198 · see citing works
Sahoo, K. C., Hulland, K. R. S., Caruso, B. A., Swain, R., Freeman, M. C., Panigrahi, P., & Dreibelbis, R. (2015) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.06.031 · Cited by 300 · see citing works
Stevenson, E. G. J., Greene, L. E., Maes, K. C., Ambelu, A., Tesfaye, Y. A., Rheingans, R., & Hadley, C. (2012) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.03.022 · Cited by 270 · see citing works
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Cooper, S., Hutchings, P., Butterworth, J., Joseph, S., Kebede, A., Parker, A., Terefe, B., & Van Koppen, B. (2019) · Global Environmental Change · doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2019.101994 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Toivettula, A., Varis, O., Vahala, R., & Juvakoski, A. (2023) · Water Research · doi:10.1016/j.watres.2023.120335 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Seretlo-Rangata, M. L., Sodi, T., & Govender, S. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1537992 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
- Authors
- Thomas, V., & Godfrey, S.
- Affiliations
- Lyon, France
- United Nations Children's Fund (US)
- Corresponding author
- Godfrey, Samuel
- ORCID
- Godfrey, Samuel
- Venue
- Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development
- Publisher
- IWA Publishing
- Published
- 2018-03-13
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 196-207
- ISSN
- 2043-9083 (ISSN-L)
- 2408-9362
- OpenAlex
- W2793500317
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 1.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- UNICEF
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water Resource Management and Quality
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Water Governance and Infrastructure
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Keywords
- mental health, drinking water access, water affordability, water cost, household size, household socioeconomic characteristics, water services, SDG 6.1, Ethiopia
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