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

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