Investigating Community Preferences in Fulfilling Domestic Water Needs to Improve Public Water Service Provision A Case Study in Kota Metro, Lampung Province, Indonesia

Public water service provision is a big challenge for local authorities in Indonesia. Not only does this sector currently require large investments, it also has multi-dimensional impacts on society, the economy, and the environment because of poor service performance. Kota Metro in Lampung province, Indonesia generally faces a similar problem in managing its public water sector. The latest data show that only about five percent of households utilize piped water for their domestic water usage, while others rely on individual water source exploitation. Low service coverage area and poor service performance are frequently blamed as causes of this unfavorable situation. However, few studies have discussed this issue from the perspective of the consumers in Kota Metro. This study specifically looked at the issue of the community’s preferences related to their domestic water source and their motivation. We did an online survey among the residents of Kota Metro to get their opinion on this issue. First, we elaborated the respondents’ spatial distribution and socioeconomic backgrounds by asking their address and income. This aimed to assess the respondents’ accessibility to the existing piped water network and their financial ability to pay the water bill. Furthermore, we asked the respondents about water sources that they use daily and the reasons for using them. Correspondence analysis was used to assess the relationship between their choices and specific factors determining their decision. It is expected that the results of this study can broaden the perspective on drinking water issues by incorporating the consumer’s point of view. Moreover, the result can also be used by the local authority of Kota Metro to improve its public water service.