In 2012, the Water Foundation’s largest water project in Ethiopia to date was handed over to the inhabitants of the town of Jarree and the villages of Iffa-Biyya and Kalala. The communities are located 280 kilometres west of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Background
Countless schools, rural health stations and villages in Ethiopia are without drinking water and the people suffer from disastrous health consequences. The population and the responsible public institutions are overstrained in terms of personnel, finances and often also in terms of expertise with the responsibility for a proper drinking water supply.
The town of Jarree and the villages of Iffa Biyya and Kalala, with a total of around 16,000 people including four schools and two health stations, have problems with the drinking water supply. Instead of 150 cubic metres of required water, the population had only 40 cubic metres per day at their disposal. This corresponds to a quantity of only 2.6 litres per person and day. The poor water quality was also responsible for numerous diseases in this region. To solve the water problem, the old supply system had to be repaired and expanded.
Strategy
The water supply of the region is to be optimised and stabilised by a large spring tapping project.
Realisation
With funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and private donations, the drinking water supply for 15,000 people in Jarree and several surrounding communities was realised. The population has made many contributions of its own. These include digging and refilling the 20 kilometres of trenches for the water pipes and carrying stones for the construction work.
One spring in the valley and ten more springs in the highlands eleven kilometres away were secured and tapped. They are at altitudes of around 2,500 metres. Twenty kilometres of water pipes have been laid, six village wells have been renovated – and 33 new water points have been built and fenced in. Every inhabitant of this area can now fetch water in their immediate vicinity at times determined by the water committee. All pupils of the four local schools also have enough water – not only for drinking, but also for hygienic care.
Implementation
The implementation took place in mid-2008.
Project partners
Prof. Dr. Geremew Sahilu from the Institute of Technology – Water Supply and Environmental Engineering at the University of Addis Ababa. A student engagement is being considered and would be scientifically accompanied by Prof. Sahilu and practically by our partner Fekadu Aleka, Environmentalists Development Association – Ethiopia (EDA-E).
Costs
181,541 Euro
Current status
The plant of our so far largest spring tapping project – Jarree, Iffa Biyya, Kalala – is to be thoroughly checked for weak points.
Contact
Henner Lang
e-mail: h.lang@wasserstiftung.de