The Ministry of Water and Energy has invested in a range of potable water development projects across the country at a cost of 2.5 billion birr according to Kebede Gerba, State Minister of Water and Energy.
The water projects are estimated to be almost 8580 in total said Kebede.
The projects comprise of spring development, hand dug wells and small scale water wells as well as other initiative he explained.
Efforts to expand and rehabilitate existing water facilities are also a part of the plans of water development noted Kebede.It is expected that seven million people will access to potable water with the completion of the projects at the end of the current yet he added.
1,240 of the total number of water projects were finalized in the first two quarters of the fiscal year with the others to be completed in the remaining months of the year.
When the projects are finalized access to water will increase from 71.3% to 80% with coverage in urban areas also increase from 92.5% to 95.5% according to Kebede.
Financial assistance for the water development projects are primarily received from the African Development Bank and the International Development Association he said.
The African Bank has funded more than 465.9 million birr towards the projects while the International Development Association supplied 1.8 billion birr.
A total of 17,300 water projects had been developed and rehabilitated in the previous fiscal year claimed Kebede.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency
