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Spatio-temporal Measure of Urban Expansion in Erelu Waterworks Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria
Subject area: Physical Sciences and Environment · Area of research: Environmental studies
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1720098
Abstract
The quick expansion of cities in developing countries is often not accompanied by enough development of infrastructure. This paper focuses on how sixty years of urban growth in the Erelu Waterworks Zone of Oyo State has increasingly overstretched the municipal water production capacity. The analysis of multi-temporal satellite images of the area from 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2023 has been done through GIS-based supervised classification and population projection and water demand calculation techniques. Urban land coverage grew rapidly from 6.56 km² in 1972 to 96.06 km² in 2022, an increase of sixteen times. It happened through three distinct stages; the first was until 1992, where the growth pattern was characterized by infill development within traditional districts; after that came extensive urban sprawl along transport corridors, especially the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway, which currently accounts for more than 80% of construction activities. This most intensive period of growth took place during the period 2003–2012 when 13.14% was added to the urban area, more than any decade before. Simultaneously, the capacity of the Erelu waterworks facility had been stagnant since 1962, with an average of 5,600,000 liters/day. As a result, urban water demand rose from 5.6 million to 79.18 million liters/day-a fourteen fold increase, while the plant could only meet 7.07% of its limited coverage area. Daily water supply per capita fell from 48.28 liters in 1972 to 12.28 liters in 2022, which is critically below the WHO's minimum demand of 50–100 liters/day. By 2032 and 2042, this will be reduced further to 8.32 and 5.68 liters, respectively. Uncontrolled urban growth has made Erelu waterworks infrastructure inadequate. Immediate action towards improvement in water treatment plant capacity, distribution systems' rehabilitation, and effective urban-water planning is imperative to avoid total breakdown of the system.
How to cite this paper
@article{1720098,
author = {OYELAMI Ayobami Alani, Ogunbode Timothy, Adedayo Olujobi Alagbe},
title = {Spatio-temporal Measure of Urban Expansion in Erelu Waterworks Zone, Oyo State, Nigeria},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {1},
pages = {3320-3336},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1720098.pdf},
abstract = {The quick expansion of cities in developing countries is often not accompanied by enough development of infrastructure. This paper focuses on how sixty years of urban growth in the Erelu Waterworks Zone of Oyo State has increasingly overstretched the municipal water production capacity. The analysis of multi-temporal satellite images of the area from 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, and 2023 has been done through GIS-based supervised classification and population projection and water demand calculation techniques. Urban land coverage grew rapidly from 6.56 km² in 1972 to 96.06 km² in 2022, an increase of sixteen times. It happened through three distinct stages; the first was until 1992, where the growth pattern was characterized by infill development within traditional districts; after that came extensive urban sprawl along transport corridors, especially the Ibadan-Ilorin Expressway, which currently accounts for more than 80% of construction activities. This most intensive period of growth took place during the period 2003–2012 when 13.14% was added to the urban area, more than any decade before. Simultaneously, the capacity of the Erelu waterworks facility had been stagnant since 1962, with an average of 5,600,000 liters/day. As a result, urban water demand rose from 5.6 million to 79.18 million liters/day-a fourteen fold increase, while the plant could only meet 7.07% of its limited coverage area. Daily water supply per capita fell from 48.28 liters in 1972 to 12.28 liters in 2022, which is critically below the WHO's minimum demand of 50–100 liters/day. By 2032 and 2042, this will be reduced further to 8.32 and 5.68 liters, respectively. Uncontrolled urban growth has made Erelu waterworks infrastructure inadequate. Immediate action towards improvement in water treatment plant capacity, distribution systems' rehabilitation, and effective urban-water planning is imperative to avoid total breakdown of the system.},
month = {July},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV10I1-1720098}
}