Hitosa water supply: a people's project - watsanmissionassistant

HITOSA WATER SUPPLY: A PEOPLE’S PROJECTThe service also relies on governmentauthorities where fraud or criminal damageis suspected, as the Water ManagementBoard has no powers to impose legalsanctions in such cases. For example,when the tap attendant mentioned earliertook her unauthorised ‘loan’, only theKebele administration had the power toenforce repayment. The fact that the Headof the Wereda Administration sits on theExecutive Committee is helpful to theManagement Board in securing thecooperation of the Kebeles.Despite the occasional bureaucraticobstacle put up by officialdom, Hitosaenjoys enthusiastic support from thegovernment officials who sit on theExecutive Committee. In addition, there aregood informal relations between the WaterAdministration Office and government staffin the Project Coordination Office which haveproved beneficial to both. Project staff havenow been transferred to work on aneighbouring pipeline and Hitosa has beenable to lend them some of its vehicles. Inreturn, they have loaned the AdministrationOffice spares, many of which have to beimported, that they needed for urgent repairwork, but which were out of stock.Maintaining the schemeIn the financial year July 1996 to June 1997,the Office earned around 150,000 Birr(about £15,000). Just over 70 per cent ofthis came from water sales and nearly 20per cent from charges for making privateconnections. Of the 70 per cent income fromsales, about three- quarters came from63,000 customers at the public tapstandsand the remainder from 330 privatecustomers. The Office spent around130,000 Birr (£13,000) during the sameperiod, two-thirds of it on salaries.Water salesWater sales fluctuate seasonally, going upin the dry season (October to March) anddown during the rains (June to September).This is for a variety of factors. More water isbought during the dry season for animals aswell as humans, rather than being collectedfrom ponds and streams. This period alsocoincides with the wedding season which isin the first part of the year between harvestand Lent. Wedding celebrations generate ahigh demand for water for food preparationand to make tella, the local beer.HITOSA WATER SUPPLY SCHEME: INCOME AND EXPENDITUREJULY 1996-JUNE 1997IncomeExpenditureItem Birr Item BirrPublic water sales 85,229.65 Salaries 80,160.68Private water sales 25,406.45 Office administration 9,653.57Various charges for Per diems and transport 5,214.40private connections 28,698.60Miscellaneous (mainlycharges for repairs) 14,798.91 Daily labourers 10,780.50Repairs to main pipeline 6,774.50Fuel and lubricants 7,866.46Vehicle maintenance 5,189.73Miscellaneous 5,627.99TOTAL 154,133.60 TOTAL 131,268.63PAGE 20