Analyzing Rural Water Supply Project Sustainbality In World Vision Ethiopia: A Case Of Wonchi Area Program, Wonchi District, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study title is analyzing rural water supply project sustainability of world vision Ethiopia Wonchi area program, Wonchi district, Ethiopia. Two sampled kebeles out of 15 intervention kebeles were addressed with the study. The study aimed: to identify the challenges of rural water supply project sustainability, to examine the current status of rural water supply project and to explore the strategies developed to manage the rural water supply sustainability in the study area. Mixed method of data collection (quantitative and qualitative) approaches were employed. The key findings of the study were: financial gaps (47.7%) responses, technical knowledge gaps (22.7%)responses, and administrative and management gaps (29.6%) responses of the rural water management committees. Schemes non-functionality, scheme damages, lack of strong and committed water manage committee, schemes environmental aspects, project intervention contamination (schemes ownership), low cost recovery and lack of effective local scheme by-laws are some of the major challenges to the rural water supply sustainability identified in the study area. The researcher concluded that the soft part (capacity building, administration, operation and management) of the rural water schemes is equally important as the hard part (water infrastructures, the engineering part) and recommended that should be given unreserved attention to ensure the sustainability of rural water supply project in the study area