FACTORS AFFECTING SUSTAINABLE RURAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IN ALEFA WOREDA, CENTRAL GONDAR, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Significant numbers of people in the study area have not access to improved water supply. This implies that adequate protected water supply is a serious problem and there is poor sustainability of rural water supply system. The main objective of this study was to assess the sustainability of rural potable water supply in Alefa woreda, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. To achieve this objective mixed design with in qualitative and quantitative research approach were employed. To address the stated objective questionnaire, focus group discussion, interview, field observation and document analysis were used to collect data. The data was collected from 118 survey questionnaire respondent households; they were selected by using simple random sampling technique, 5 key informant respondents purposely selected for interview and 15 members of focal group discussion respondents were selected purposely. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics was used only for respondents’ socio-demographic analysis. Independent t-test and chi square were employed to examine the determinant variables that affecting the level of household participation for rural potable water supply sustainability and binary logistic regression model was employed to identify major factors that hinder sustainability of rural potable water supply. The study revealed that household participation in water project in labor work, in WCs election and participation in meetings and their willingly participate in cash mainly determined by sex and age difference of the household head. In addition to this lack of availability of spar part, lack of construction quality, lack of technical skill for O and M, lack of ongoing training and lack of participation of women are the major factors that hinder the sustainability of rural potable water supply. The level of households’ participation difference was dominantly determined with in sex and age. And also technical, institutional and some socio economic factor indicators are the major factors that affecting RPWSS in Alefa Woreda. Based on the study finding in order to improve the sustainability of rural potable water supply Woreda Water Resource Office, NGOs and other relevant actors should repair non-functional schemes to be functional; provide ongoing training in kebele level; upgrade the construction quality and improve the access of spare part. Moreover policy makers have to prepare guideline which will be relevant to train for WCs in order to create awareness to manage rural potable water schemes and include as a rule females as a member of WCs were recommended suggestions.