This paper summarises results of a study about the demand for rural water facility spares, the organisation of supply chains and the O&M systems in Amhara regional state across five zones; East Gojjam, South Gondar, North Gondar, South Wollo and North Shewa.
Title | Parts of the system : supply chains and operation and maintenance (O&M) in Amhara, Ethiopia |
Publication Type | Conference Paper |
Year of Publication | 2019 |
Authors | Akale, AT, kebede, A |
Secondary Title | All systems go! WASH Systems Symposium, The Hague, the Netherlands, 12-14 March 2019 |
Pagination | 9 p. : 3 fig., 7 tab. |
Date Published | 02/2019 |
Publisher | IRC |
Place Published | The Hague, the Netherlands |
Publication Language | English |
Keywords | spare parts, supply chains, water committees |
Abstract | Many improved and community-managed water supply schemes in Amhara fail to provide services as designed. Two of the major problems are a weak spare parts supply chain, and poor operation and maintenance (O&M) practices. This paper summarises results of a study about the demand for rural water facility spares, the organisation of supply chains and the O&M systems in Amhara regional state across five zones; East Gojjam, South Gondar, North Gondar, South Wollo and North Shewa. It involved interviews with 357 water users, 104 woreda and zone experts, 127 kebele level water administration committee members and 30 private suppliers. Only 40% of the water schemes had a trained caretaker to undertake O&M and where present, only 10% conducted both preventive and corrective maintenance. There is a poorly organised spare parts supply chain throughout the region. There is very low demand from communities for spare parts due to shortages of trained caretakers, high inflation rates, poor supply and an absence of spare parts locally, poor quality of spare parts and consumer knowledge on water resources management. To reduce non-functionality of water points, recommendations are: to increase participation during project implementation and raise community cash contributions; to provide handouts for marketing with basic information on technological and management options; to prepare pricing guidelines; and to encourage the private sector to supply spare parts in order to create stronger incentives for sustainability. [author abstract] |
Notes | Includes 11 ref. |