Stakeholders visit Fendeka’s deep well water supply which benefits 8 thousand 928 people!

Stakeholders visit Fendeka & nearby kebeles’ deep well water supply, 15 kilometers far away from Debre Markos on 11 June 2022.

ORDA Ethiopia has been implementing John’s Rig WASH Project funded by Welthungerhilfe & Viva con Agua to supply water, hygiene and sanitation activities in five districts of East Gojjam Zone of Amhara Region, namely- Sinan, Gozamen, Debre Elias, Machakel and Aneded. Those districts are selected based on their low water supply, sanitation coverage, and their good potential of underground water.

The project has a total of € 8.8 million (over 200 Million Birr) benefiting 205 thousand in water supply & 280 thousand in hygiene & sanitation in 56 kebeles.

The emerging town of Fendika, 15 kilometers far away from Debre Markos, and the surrounding kebeles faced severe water shortages. According to the water management committees, the local community gets water from river.

ORDA Ethiopia accepted the zone’s request based on the long-standing request of the community & woreda's appeal to solve the water problem, according to ORDA Ethiopia’s Debre Markos John’s Rig Wash project manager, Simachew Leyih.

The project costs a total of 23.7 million birr that more than 850 thousand birr was participation of the community, 13.9 million birr by ORDA Ethiopia, 8 million birr by the government and water bureau (well drilling, generator and water pump installation), and benefits 8 thousand 928 people, the manager said.

Ato Simachew explains the major works carried out by the project:-

• Identify areas of the user community and develop project design.

• Ensure that there is sufficient flow/discharge rate to meet the community's drinking water needs (thus, the well has a depth of 150 meters and a discharging capacity of 11.5 liters per second.

• 4,300 meters long pipeline (6 inch HDP) installed from the well to water tank.

• Construction of a 300,000 liter (300 m3) concrete storage reservoir capable of delivering sufficient water to the user community has been completed.

• A 7 kms long water supply line from the water storage tank to each distribution scheme completed.

• A total of 16 water distribution schemes have been set up, a 16 m3 water tank for the local monastery, and 6 public institution stations completed to supply water for the community.

• Generator and guard house and warehouses and water committee office built-up.

However, due to the electromechanical work, the water committees complained that the generator and pump could not push water from the required location and that the community couldn't get clean water yet.

Gozamin Woreda Water Office Head, Melkamu Eyilachew, on his part said the Zonal Water Department, ORDA Ethiopia and other stakeholders (ANRS Water Bureau) should work together to benefit the community by completing the remaining tasks in a short period of time.

At the end of the visit, ORDA Ethiopia Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Development Coordinator, Ketsela Nigussie, thanked Fendika and the kebele Community and East Gojjam Zone Water Department for their active role in completing the project in time.

He added the request made by the water committee for quick access to safe drinking water is appropriate. Ato Ketsela, appreciating the community's role, hopes the electro-mechanical work will be solved the soonest possible time as per the agreement made by the Water Bureau.

The price of fuel is going up, and that time enforces to use hydroelectric transformer instead of a generator in order to solve the problem in a sustainable way, he said.

Zonal and woreda technical committees and officials (Health, Water, Administration, Finance, Women, ORDA Ethiopia) attended the visit.