Constraints of Community Managed Rural Water Supply Systems: The Case of Walmara Woreda, Oromia Region
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Failure to maintain access to clean water is one of the key problems in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Although government and humanitarian organizations have made notable attempts to address the shortage of access to potable water, cooperative efforts are still demanding to improve clean water coverage in rural areas. In connection to above stated problem, this study was conducted to investigate the constraints of community managed rural water supply systems in Walmara woreda of Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of the research is to examine and identify the constraining factors of community managed rural water supply systems through determining the roles attributed to communities for the consistent functioning as well as non-functioning of water supply systems in the entire management process. For this, mixtures of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. Hence a total of 108 households were randomly selected and interviewed by using a semi structured questionnaire. In addition, qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and key informants’ interview. The primary data were also substantiated by field observation and from review of different secondary data sources. The data analysis was carried out using a descriptive statistical analysis based on frequencies and percentages and inferential statistical analysis using Pearson’s ChiSquare test and ANOVA (Analysis of variance). The survey result revealed that a combination of technical, institutional, social, environmental, and financial factors are the major elements which need to be considered to ensure sustainability and functionality of community managed rural water supply systems. The study recommends that the major factors influencing functionality of rural water supply systems includes but not limited to, availability of enough water from the water supply systems, availability of spare parts and proper community-based management. These elements should be considered in the events of water supply systems development from planning to post implementation stages. Hence, to enhance access to potable water supply in rural areas it is important to ensure functionality of existing water supply systems than focusing on construction of new schemes alone.