Determinants of Community Participation in Water Projects: A Case of Semi Arid Areas of Dodoma, Tanzania

Factors determining community participation in water projects were investigated. Data was collected from 126 respondents who were selected from a sample population of 4, 683 households using simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a household questionnaire survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Multiple regression model was used to establish the relationship between community participation (dependent variable) and socio-demographic and governance factors (independent variables). The study recorded a number of factors that determined community participation in water projects. However, a number of them appeared to be insignificant but this is likely to be due to the relatively small sample size involved. Regardless of statistical significance, these factors will likely influence community participation on water projects, hence sustainability. Therefore, these factors should be incorporated and/or considered during redesigning, planning and implementation of water projects in order to enhance community participation, hence sustainability of water projects.