Self-supply End-line Evaluation

Self-supply acceleration (SSA) was included as an innovative activity within the latest phase of the Millennium Water Alliance- Ethiopia Programme (MWA-EP). This was funded primarily by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation from 2014-2017 (with additional financial support and inputs from Aqua for All).

The Government of Ethiopia has adopted Self-supply as an approach to reach rural and scattered settlements that cannot be reached by traditional community supply . It is estimated that Self-supply, which involves households investing in their own water sources, lifting devices and storage facilities, could potentially serve up to 20% of the population. According to the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016, Self-supply served at least 4% of the population nationally with convenient supply. These families use their own well on premises as the main drinking water source. In total, some 28 million people rely on unprotected wells and springs for their water supply.

Self-supply was therefore a recognised service delivery model in Ethiopia under the One WASH National Programme at the outset of the MWA-EP activities (based on existing national policy guidelines and the WASH Implementation Framework). However, it was also recognised that there are no proven models for supporting Self-supply and although Self-supply was something that some households did on their own to access water, there were few ideas or experiences on how government and other sector actors could support or accelerate this and subsequently contribute to sector goals (including universal access).

Given the sources of finance that are available to Self-supply (households own investments) and the potential for Self-supply to cost-effectively fill gaps left by other service delivery models (as well as helping to grow the private sector and jobs) it was recognised that proven models for supporting Self-supply could have significant impact on a national scale.

This report provides a summary of the findings of an end-line evaluation of an innovative Self-supply acceleration pilot in five woredas in Oromia and Amhara National Regional States by the Millennium Water Alliance Ethiopia Programme (MWA-EP). The end-line data collection was undertaken by enumerators and IRC staff in September-October 2017. The findings provide basis for both assessment of the outcomes of the pilot and planning of follow up by the alliance.