URBAN HOUSEHOLDS’ DOMESTIC WATER DEMAND AND SUPPLY: THE CASE OF FINCHA TOWN, ABAY-CHOMEN WOREDA, HORO GUDURU WOLLEGA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess urban households’ domestic water demand and supply in Fincha town. In order to achieve these objectives, primary data were collected from 331 randomly selected households and 12 respondents purposively selected from three offices for interview purpose. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected by using instruments of data collection include, questionnaires, interviews and field observation. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and presented by using frequency, percentage, pie chart, and bar graphs. The study has confirmed that Fincha town water supply service could not cover the demand of households with present existing capacity. The result obtained indicated that the major factors attributed to lower supply of water are inadequate water supply, unfair distribution of water, high cost of piped water connection, lack of capacity, limited budget; poor coordination and participation of stake holders, frequent interruption and rapid population growth particularly made the provision of water supply services difficult in the area. As a result 34.2 percent of the respondents have used water from alternatives sources. Although, safe and adequate quantity of drinking water is an essential in put for life, however, the efforts made by the state government have not been enough in addressing all dwellers of Fincha town. Thus, to narrow the existing widened gap between water demand and supply, there should be an urgent need for planed action to construct additional water supply sources and simultaneously improving the current coverage of private pipe water distribution and also public fountains in favor of the lower income group.