Speaking at the day celebration ceremony held March 21, Dessie Town Potable Water Service Office Manager Muktar Ahemed said that although Dessie has been known for its potable water supply, frequent power interruption has been a challenge to dwellers.
As the town is situated in mountainous areas, the office could not supply water regularly without electric power.
We have to raise citizens’ awareness about water management."
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity (MoWIE) State Minister Kebede Gerba said that the Ministry is aggressively working hard to achieve nation’s GTP II potable water coverage plan.
Currently, nation’s potable water coverage has reached 61 per cent.
It works hard to reach the coverage 67 per cent by the end of this fiscal year.
"Waste-water should be treated before it affects our environment and human health.
Then when, waste water is used for human social and economic consumption it will cause for various human health and related risks," the State Minister added.
Therefore, waste-water discharges from households, industrial, agricultural and other sources should be treated before they contaminate the environment.
The recent WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation estimated that by 2015 access to improved drinking water increased to 57 per cent.