The development of communities and sustainability of rural water and sanitation systems could be achieved through the creation of participatory spaces and empowerment of localities for effective water governance. The objective of this study was to assess how community participation in decentralised water governance affect the distribution and sustainability of water supply and sanitation systems in rural communities of the Savannah Region of Ghana. A political ecological lens was adopted to analyze how household’s socio-demographic characteristics influence their choice of water, involvement of rural people in the governance and distribution of water at local scales, the multi-scaled constraints to participation in water governance and place-based factors which influence sustainability of the rural water facilities. A quantitative, post-positivist paradigm and cross-sectional design was adopted in carrying out the study. Probability approaches were used to sample 450 respondents, composed of 58 officials and 392 household heads. Structured questionnaires and interviews were administered to the respondents. The study found that education, monthly income, and water treatment options were the most significant socio-demographic characteristics that determined the quality of water used by the households. In addition, participation in water initiatives, financial support and maintenance of facilities significantly influenced the distribution of drinking water in the rural communities. Again, constraints of time, occupational commitments, and walking distance to decision-making centres significantly influenced participation in decision-making on water in the rural areas. The communities’ sense of ownership, participation, water pollution rate and culture of maintenance were found to be significantly associated with the sustainability of water facilities in the rural communities.
The study concludes that the socio-demographic structure of then rural settlements is likely to affect access to quality water in the rural areas. The quality of water utilised by the households could worsen in the rural settlements if efforts are not made to redress constraints to sanitation and water allocation. The study recommends that water actors should pursue rural water supply and sanitation practices cognizant of the multi-scaled, place-based, and historical conditions prevalent in the rural areas. To achieve these, an integrated community water governance model is recommended.