A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HYDRAULIC AND WATER RESOURCE, INSTITUTE OFTECHNOLOGY, SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES ARBA MINCH UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HYDRUALIC ENGINEERING

Abstract

The main objective of present research was to study the assessment of water supply coverage, quality and performance of the supply schemes in Konso zone. The study focuses on the assessment of drinking water coverage based on water service delivery, how looks like the quality of water provided to the community in terms of selected parameters and the scheme performance in the study area located in SNNPR, Ethiopia. The research was related to reveal the degree/level of problems of drinking water supply which community is consuming. The objectives rationalized to study the problems of drinking water supply through determining the water supply coverage, determining the drinking water quality of the water supplied to the area in terms of selected parameters and through evaluating the performance of rural water supply schemes. In order to achieve these objectives the methods like describing the study area, studying design and sampling tests, collecting information from the selected schemes, water sample collection and analysis, collecting qualitative information from focal and key informants through interview and discussion, household survey, field observation and finally through data analysis. Based on these methodologies the drinking water supply coverage was founded to be 0nly 23.7% where some of the schemes with chemical infection; high level of fluoride, iron, nitrate, calcium, magnesium and total dissolved solids were found through water lab test analysis, water supply schemes management and performance of the schemes became very poor. Service delivery and customer satisfaction were very weak. Finally it was concluded that schemes management like operation & maintenance, collecting water fee, up keeping financial records was backward, non-functionality rate was very high. The recommendations like zone water, mines and energy department has to work hard and be capacitated with water lab test equipment, the user community has to fully participate during project planning, periodical WSHCOs training has to be provided, water has to be treated before supply, women have to be empowered to manage schemes, community has to be encouraged use alternative options like rainwater harvesting, etc. recommendations were forwarded..