Ethiopia has achieved 75% access to piped water in urban areas, up from 33% in 2000 (JMP, 2021). However, most water supply systems are intermittent, providing water for only a few hours per week in some settings.
Intermittency has multiple causes related to the water production capacity, leakages or weaknesses in the piped distribution network, insufficient power supply and financial and governance limitations.
Based on long-term research engagement in Wukro, Tigray, a REACH Water Security Observatory, we present three recommendations for inclusive water services in intermittent piped water systems in small towns in Ethiopia. At the national level, there needs to be more attention to the intermittency of urban water supply systems in policy and management and what this means for climate resilient urban WASH planning.
