Challenges of Potable Water Supply System in Rural Ethiopia: The Case of Gonji Kolela Woreda, West Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

In rural Ethiopia, although considerable efforts have been made to improve and expand access to potable water supply, many Ethiopian rural communities still suffer from lack of safe drinking water. This research work intends to assess the challenges of potable water supply in selected rural kebeles1 of Gonji Kolela woreda2 in Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia. Survey findings of the research show that, of the total 292 sample respondents those who use hand dug well, developed spring and rope pump accounts 47.9%, 12% and 8.9% respectively. The remaining 31.2% of the respondents are still using either river or unprotected spring for their domestic consumption. Evidences from the data revealed that the challenges for adequate provision and management of improved water schemes in the study area are multifaceted including lack of adequate technical and financial support from zonal and regional water resource bureau; inadequate skilled man power; inaccessibility of underground water or intermission of the water after digging water wells; lack of adequate support from the community; inaccessibility for transportation and absence of spare parts shop and equipments in the nearby area. Thus, strengthening the institutional capacity in the planning of water supply projects at local level should be a timely measure to increase the adequacy of improved water supply and sustain the functionality of the existing improved water supply schemes of the area.

Exclosure effects on soil physicochemical properties and woody species diversity in the south Rift valley basin of Ethiopia

“…Hailu et al [77] who investigated exclosure fields had much higher cation exchange capacity than neighboring open grazing lands, this could be due to the variations of clay and OM between the land use types. This finding is supported by Sinore and Doboch [82] and Kibret [43], who found that organic matter, in particular, improves soil CEC and that clay and organic colloids are related to soil CEC. This outcome is supported by Mekuria et al [81] assessment that the CEC was much higher in the enclosure than in the grazing field.…”

“…Shannon diversity can range from zero for communities with just one kind to a considerable amount for communities with several species, each with a small number of individuals. Indicators of Shannon variety include strong > 3.0, medium (2.0-3.0), low (1.0-2.0), and very low (<1.0) [43].…”

Water and Latrine Services and Associated Factors among Residents of Negele Town, Southeast Ethiopia: A Cross‐Sectional Study

“…The water service coverage (7.64%) of the town was lower than other towns like Dukem (98.5%; [ 17 ]) and Wolaita Sodo (68%; [ 9 ]), and a rural district in western Ethiopia (70%; [ 24 ]) forcing most of the households to use unprotected Nano River water without heat or chemical treatment and thereby suffer from waterborne diseases. This implies that immediate action should be taken by the administration of the town and other concerned bodies to improve water service and create awareness of the community to boil or treat water using Wuha agar (chlorine-based water treatment solution) and Bishan gari (aluminum sulfate and calcium hypochlorite solution).…”

Journal of Water and Land Development

“…Its rural water supply condition is dispersing and inadequate. This happens because of the country's economy, source identification problem, and population settlement [KIBRET, TULU 2014]. The country's current water access improves from time to time by different means.…”

“…The root causes are a lack of proper design, study, run, maintenance, and treatment. Source drying and nonseparated water use of animals and humans are also the other malfunctioning causes [KIBRET, TULU 2014].…”