Ethiopia

Initial situation

The Guutoo-Adulaan Woreda school and scattered settlements in Bakko-Tibbe are located on the edge of a mountainous landscape between highlands and lowlands at an altitude of 1880 meters. Few people fetch water from springs because they are too far away from them and also difficult to access. The springs are not fenced. The inhabitants have dug a kind of pond there and fetch water polluted with canisters from it. Both the springs and the pond are not protected in any way. Therefore, dogs and other animals go there to drink. Students usually drink from a nearby stream. Water-borne diseases are therefore very common.

Planning

There are suitable springs in the area that can be tapped. The plan is to develop the Modoo spring, which is located at an altitude of 1900 meters. It is productive enough to supply about 2,500 people with clean drinking water in the long run.

Solution

Part of the Modoo spring is captured and capped. The spring water will be led via a PE water pipeline to a new cistern near the school. Pipelines will supply potable water to the school and residents around it, and beyond that to the first aid station. The water tapping points will be fenced off. The water will be drawn off at fixed times under the control of officials of the local water committee. Afterwards, the system will be technically and economically placed under the responsibility of the municipality.

Implementation


The implementation took place in the middle of 2008.

Two springs were captured, and two more spring catchments were added later. A water reservoir for intermediate storage and transfer of the water was built. A 3900 m long laid water pipeline leads to seven water tapping points – one of them in the school. In addition, four shower rooms and a water point for the teachers were built. A further connection to the health center currently under construction is planned.

Current status 2022

In 2017, the facility was wantonly damaged by a large farmer who cut the water pipes and diverted the water to his fields. After years of attempts to intervene with the responsible authorities, our cooperation partner EDA-E succeeded in getting the county government to put the rehabilitation of the Guutoo water project on the priority list in 2019. Thus, the spring box could be replaced by two new ones. A 1500 m section of the water pipeline would be replaced. A second water tank was built in order to be able to serve the grown population and the health center well. All water points were plastered and the access roads were renovated. Now the entire water supply system in Guutoo-Adulaan is fully functional again.

Project partner


Environmentalists Development Association – Ethiopia (EDA-E)

Costs

Approx. 25.000 Euro


Sponsor

The realization of the project was made possible by the generous private donation of Mr. and Mrs. Malecki from Hamburg.