In Sana kebele, part of Dera woreda, a simple but powerful change is making a huge difference in people’s everyday lives.
Before, the community’s water system ran on a fuel-powered generator, but only twice a week.
That meant families were getting just 5.7 litres of water per person per day, far below the national rural standard of 25 litres.
The high cost of fuel made it tough for the local Water User Association to keep the system running smoothly, leaving people with unreliable and insufficient water supply.
Thanks to support from the Australian Government, the community able to switch the water system to run on solar power. This change has been life changing.
Now, the system pumps about 125 cubic meters of water every day-enough to provide each person with over 33 liters daily, which means clean water is flowing reliably, every day.
The switch to solar system also means the community no longer worries about fuel costs or shortages.
This has freed up money and energy for other important needs and made it easier for the Water User Association to maintain the system on their own.
Beyond just saving money, solar power has made the water supply more dependable and environmentally friendly. It protects the community from fuel price hikes and shortages while reducing pollution.
This shows how smart technology, combined with strong community leadership, can solve long-standing problems and make water accessible, safe, and sustainable for years to come.
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