Assessment of Non-Functionality of Rural Water Supply Schemes The Case of Lailay Maichew Woreda, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
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Date
2015-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Assessment of the main causes of non-functionality of rural water supply schemes in Lailay
Maichew Woreda has been the main objective of this research. To assess the major causes of
non-functionality primary and secondary data was collected from 407 rural water supply
schemes (RWSS) of the woreda. Secondary data was collected from respective governmental and
non-governmental organization at federal, state and woreda level. Primary data was collected
through questionnaire, key informant interview, focus group discussion and observation.
The secondary and primary data sources have been useful to assess all non-functional schemes
in the woreda. All types of rural water supply schemes include hand dug well, shallow well,
spring development at spot and deep well have been studied and analyzed for their main cause of
non-functionality in the woreda.
The average non-functionality period of schemes in the study area is seven years. Most nonfunctionality
occurs much lesser than expected design periods. Two third of water schemes failed
lower than a minimum design period, which is 10 years. Compare to scheme type spring
development at spot becomes the best scheme of the study area.
The main causes of non-functionality are technical problems including construction, yield,
quality, site selection problems, management of operational and maintenance problems
including mechanical and management problems, financial problems, institutional problems and
others including social, cultural, gender, health and education problems. Among those
individual causes of non-functionality, financial problems score high (18.02%). Generally,
management of operational and maintenance problems score high (35.27%) and technical
problems scores 33.02% which is the second main cause of non-functionality of RWSSs.
The researcher strongly recommended that community participation should be in all stage of
scheme development not only during construction, local well train construction and supervision
firm should be available during scheme design and construction with standard design and
construction manuals, technical training for community water committee and care takers should
be continuous throughout scheme design period and monitoring of schemes through the
coordination of different institutions should be develop for functional sustainability of RWSSs.
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Keywords
Non-Functionality, Rural Water Supply Schemes, Technical, Management