REACH-WISER researcher Dr Engdasew Feleke explores how industrial development is affecting water security for people living in the Upper Awash Basin.
Water quality
Tracing Emerging Contaminants in the Awash River Basin, Ethiopia
Emerging Organic Contaminants are a growing concern worldwide due to their potential impact on the environment and human health. New research in Ethiopia’s Awash Basin used environmental isotopes to show how pollution from industry and agriculture travels between surface and groundwater systems. The presence of EOCs in tap water also suggests that pollution is affecting groundwater sources used for piped water supplies.
Lack of safe drinking water: Estimates double globally
New modelling estimates by Esther Greenwood and colleagues suggest that four billion people worldwide lack safe drinking water – double the number of people estimated in 2020. REACH Water Security Director Rob Hope gives his perspective on the new estimate and what can be done to address water safety, climate risks and data gaps.
Revitalizing Stakeholder Engagement Strategies to Redress Water Security Challenges in Ethiopia
In June 2024, the International Water Management Institute convened academic institutions, private companies, NGOs, ministries, basin offices, city authorities, and research organizations to review and improve stakeholder engagement strategies in Ethiopia. Effective stakeholder engagement can help in identifying and implementing sustainable solutions, enhancing communication among stakeholders, and ensuring accountability. Read more in this blog piece from the workshop organizers.
Professor Katrina Charles features on Vice-Chancellor’s Podcast
Professor Katrina Charles recently featured on the Fire and Wire podcast, hosted by the University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey. This podcast series, now in its second year, explores different aspects of the Oxford community, documenting the diverse...
Policy-makers meet to advance the water security agenda in Kenya
On October 27th, REACH Kenya welcomed Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Hon. Zachariah Njeru, as the opening speaker at the National Stakeholder Forum on Climate Resilience and Water Security. Governors from Kitui, Marsabit...
We are failing to deliver safe drinking water globally – what needs to change?
Uptime has designed and implemented contracts for results-based payments that incentivise reliability of water services through standardised volume and revenue metrics. We present new metrics, building on REACH research, to further incentivise water safety actions by service providers to deliver safer drinking water in small water systems that will be piloted in 2024.
Exit Strategy – sustaining and scaling water security impacts for the poor beyond 2024
After nine years of collective research on water security by over 50 global partners the REACH programme is due to close in 2024. While we are on track to meet the target of providing 10 million poor people with improved water security, this is a fragile outcome. We...
Groundwater for climate resilience in the Horn of Africa
Florence Tanui (University of Nairobi), Behailu Birhanu (Addis Ababa University), Dan Olago (University of Nairobi), Seifu Kebede (University of KwaZulu Natal) The Horn of Africa is experiencing extreme climate shocks and grappling with the need to plan for an...
What does it cost to provide safe water to rural health care facilities?
This research in Kitui County, Kenya, shows how professionalised service delivery FundiFix can provide safe and consistent water and soap delivery in hard to reach healthcare facilities.
