Water Shortage in Ethiopia’s Capital

Water Shortage in Ethiopia’s Capital

Residents in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa, are suffering from acute shortage of water, according to a news report by the Reporter newspaper. Some residents told the paper that, they get water supply just once a week in some parts of the city. Haya Hulet, Megenagna, Gerji, Wefcho Bet, Yerer, Gofa and Woyra Sefer are some of the areas which are hardest hit by the disruption, the paper said. Young people are seen carrying jerrycans on the streets of the capital to collect drinking water.

The Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA) attributed the disruption to infrastructure development projects under way and the breaking of a huge water pipe in Akaki.

Access to water supply and sanitation in Ethiopia is one of the lowest in the world. While access has increased substantially with funding from external aid, much still remains to be done to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the share of people without access to water and sanitation by 2015, to improve sustainability and to improve service quality.