ETHIOPIA: Supporting access to drinking water in 43 Small and Medium towns in Ethiopia

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most behind in terms of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). 

With a population of 110 million, and home to some of the hardest to reach populations, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria. 

Access to drinking water is a major national problem and even more crucial in rural areas. 

According to UNICEF, the national coverage rate for drinking water is estimated at 49.6% of the population; with 60 – 80% of communicable diseases being attributed to limited access to safe water and inadequate sanitation and hygiene services. 

This project aims to provide populations with improved access to drinking water in order to improve their living conditions. 

The project aims at rehabilitating urban water infrastructures  in small and medium towns of Ethiopia  through the Water Development Fund's (WDF) existing revolving mechanism,  which provides loans to town water utilities (TWUs) to undertake projects on a cost-recovery basis. 

The project will improve access to drinking water for communities living in these regions through construction or rehabilitation of water supply systems in 43 small and medium towns.

The rehabilitated urban water infrastructure will:

• Contribute to improving the financial sustainability of TWUs, which will sustainably increase water service provision.
• Lead to a functional water service that will contribute to local economic development, as well as to improving living conditions for populations.
• Use the loan repayments to replenish the fund and will thus offer sustainable financing solutions to a large number of Ethiopian secondary cities.