PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY, DEMAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS IN URBAN ETHIOPIA:
THE CASE OF ADDIS ABABA CITY

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted in 1996/97 to evaluate public water supply demand & resource management problems in Addis Ababa. A stratified sampling design has been adopted to classify the population into those "who have" and "who have not" private water supply connection. Though, 97.5 percent of the city dwellers use piped water, it is only 26.8 percent who "have" private water connection. A sample size of 240 households has been decided to be taken from selected 10 Kebeles. Out of these, 60 percent (144 households) were taken from those "who have not" and 40 percent (96 households) from the "haves". The study has also been substantiated by secondary data. Among the interviewed in most households, fetching is the responsibility of mothers and daughters which accounts for almost 79 percent. Moreover, water vendors pay Birr 0.50/M3 where as they sell it for up to birr 15.00/M3 . In addition, it was found that response to disruption & maintenance to damaged pipe lines by AAWSA is so poor that customers suggested to be improved. In evaluating the effect of increment of water tariff on consumption, the new water tariff is reasonable & affordable, for 44.8 percent of the respondents, expensive but affordable for 39.6 percent, while it is too expensive & not affordable for 12.5 percent. However, the increase in water tariff has not brought about reduction in consumption. Despite the high coverage in the supply of water service on one hand and critical water shortage on the other, the current demand of the city is estimated to be 243,000 cubic meter per day (103 liters per capita per day) while the supply is about 140,983 cubic meter per day (60 liter per capita per day) for a total population of 2.34 million in 1997. In other words, the supply is short by more than 40 percent. Nevertheless, it is only 26.8 percent of the houdeholds that have private water connection (inside house or in compound) while 25.6 percent fall under tap in compound (shared). However, 45.3 percent of the households obtain water from tap outside compound.

Note: The report is available at the Central Technical Library of the ESTC.

(Report 1998)

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