Assessing the Functionality of Hand pumps based Rural water Supply: The Case of Kurmuk Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Regional State
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Date
2021-08
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Safe, adequate and sustainable supply of water is basic needs, and essential components of
socioeconomic development of a given society. In relation to this, in Ethiopia, although
considerable efforts have been made to improve and expand access to potable water supply,
many rural communities still suffer from lack of safe drinking water. Therefore, a great section
of society still remained without access to safe, adequate and sustainable supplies of water.This
study was conducted to assessing the functionality of hand pumps based rural water supply in
Kurmuk woreda, Benishangul Gumuz Regional state, Ethiopia.To achieve the objective of the
study, a total of 105 household heads were randomly selected and interviewed by using a semi
structural questionnaire.Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through
questionnaire, focus group discussion participants, key interview informants and field
observations. In addition, different documents from secondary sources were reviewed.The
collected data were analyzed using a descriptive statistics. The analysis attributed the nonfunctionality of schemes to different limiting factors like: weak performance of water committee
since scheme management training were not provided in most cases and lacks working manuals;
weak participation of women during hand pumps development; very limited in number and
responsibility share of women in water committees in most cases; community technicians and
spare parts supply chain almost don’t -existent in the study area. Majority of users do not
contribute water fee for operational and maintenance (O&M) regularly; some hand pumps were
abandoned because of water quality problem and low yield as result of inappropriate site
selection and lack of supervision during construction; limited institutional support mainly from
woreda water resource office in terms of human, material and financial resources. Hence the
study calls for: adequate scheme management trainings along with support of necessary working
manuals and directives for water committees (WCs); legal status of WCs should be ensured;
women's decision making roles should be strengthened;WCs, local community technicians
should be trained and necessary toolkits to be provided before scheme hand over to community.
Simultaneously, to address problem of spare parts, Revolving Spare Parts Fund (RSPF) should
be established in woreda center; integrated feasibility study and construction/drilling
supervision should be conducted by appropriate professionals; institutional support of Woreda
Water Resource Development Office should be strengthened in terms of human, material and
financial resources
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Keywords
Handpumps, Potable water supply, sustainability, water scheme, community participation and women participation