Hitosa - Local water management

• • only 50-69% of people in Ethiopia have access to clean water
  • >50% have no access to sanitation (2004)
  • 50 people per 100,000 die because of unsafe water
• • scheme was implemented by the community with help from Ethiopian Red Cross, Oromic Water and Water Aid
  • The Gravity-Fed water scheme began in 1990s - involves taking water from two permanent springs in Mount Boda
  • the water flows through 140km of pipeline by gravity to over 100 public water points and 150 private connections for agriculture
• • Hitosa is located in central Ethiopia, western Africa
  • lowlands below 1900m are hot and dry with no permanent surface water
  • middle level plains of 2200m elevation are extensively farmed - where 70% of scheme users live
• Advantages:

  • project is managed by local community
  • construction was completed on time and within cost
  • over 65000 people are supplied 25L of water a day
  • project serves 32 villages and 3 towns
• Disadvantages:

  • scheme did not include education about hygiene
  • it has been argued that agriculture is using too much water
  • hygiene around tap stands has been neglected - increased risk of disease
  • pipeline, supplied from UK, may be to costly to replace after its expected life time of 30 years