BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT

THE ASSSESSEMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN BAHIR DAR CITY

WATER SUPPLY SECTOR: CASE OF BELAY ZELEKE SUB CITY

A RESEARCH SUBMITTED TO MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ON DEPARTMENT

FOR PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR DEGREE OF MA IN
PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

By

AhunmAlefe

Advisor:

MeseluAlamnie (PhD)

June 01, 2018

Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia

 Bahir Dar University
College of Business and Economics
Department of Management
MASTERS OF PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

THE ASSSESSEMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN BAHIR DAR CITY

WATER SUPPLY SECTOR: CASE OF BELAY ZELEKE SUB CITY

By

AhunmAlefe

Approved by Board of Examiners:

____________________ ____________________
Internal Examiner Signature
____________________ _____________________
External Examiner Signature

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Declaration
It he undersigned, declare professional that employee this study“the assessment of public service
delivery in Bahir dar city water supply sector: case of Belay Zeleke sub city” is mine. It is for the
award of the degree of masters of masters of public management and governancein Bahir Dar
University at Bahir dar, is my original work and has not presented for a degree in any other
university, and that all sources of materials used for the study have been duly acknowledged.

Place: Bahir Dar signature

_____________

Date: June 2018

ii
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank my Almighty GOD, who helped me in every aspect of my life.Next, I
wish to express my gratitude to my thesis advisor Dr. MeseluAlamnie, for his constructive
comments for this study. The guidance and encouragement I got from him throughout the
process of formulating my ideas and the direction of guidance in pragmatic ways was critical to
the completion of my work. I am grateful for that.In addition, I would like to thank my wife
……………………for her financial, material and moral support.
Finally, I am grateful to all my friends mainly to instructor……………….for his editing the
paper, encouragement and support and ………for their unlimited assistance and for being there
when I needed those most. I deeply wish to pay highest tribute to my families for their love,
support, encouragement and advice. To them I dedicate this study.

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ABSTRACT
The government provides many services to the public in general and the water service delivery
more specifically. Nevertheless, itis surfaced to notice thatafter 2015that is the period espousal
by continuous and massive riots the government of Ethiopia is failed to assure the sustainability
of different services be delivered to the public impartially, effectively and efficiently.
Furthermore, it is heard that public services are not delivered well throughout the country.
Thus, although many studies have been conducted on public service delivery, little research is
done about water service delivery in Bahir Dar city and this study is conducted in Bahir dar city,
belay Zeleke sub city with the topic entitled as the assessment of water supply service delivery.
The paper has employed a qualitative research approach using simple random sampling and
somewhat purposive sampling techniques. The paper assessed the water service delivery of the
sub city in accordance with capability, accountability, responsiveness and transparencyby
establishing aframework called CART. Both primary and secondary data are gathered from both
primary and secondary sources using questionnaires, interview, and analysis of published and
unpublished documents. It is found that many problems with the aforementioned perspectives
and dimensions, and has forwardedmany possible recommendations and solutions that enable
the government to deliver public services in general and water supply service specifically.
Moreover, scenarios that need further investigation are high lightened duly.

Table of Contents

Declaration..........................................................................................................................................................ii

iv
Certification.......................................................................................................................................................iii
Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................................iv
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................................v
Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................................vi
List of Tables and Figures............................................................................................................................viii
Acronyms and Abbreviations.........................................................................................................................ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study...............................................................................................................................1
1.2 Problem Statement........................................................................................................................................2
1.3 Objective.......................................................................................................................................................4
1.3.1 General Objective...................................................................................................................................4
1.3.2 Specific objectives..................................................................................................................................4
1.4 Delimitation of the Study..............................................................................................................................4
1.5 Significance of the Study..............................................................................................................................5
1.6 Organization of the study..............................................................................................................................5
Definition of terms......................................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Theoretical Foundations................................................................................................................................7
2.1.1 Concept of Governance..........................................................................................................................7
2.1.2 Water Service Governance.....................................................................................................................8
2.1.3 Good Governance for Good Water Management................................................................................11
2.1.4 Key Approaches on Water Governance...............................................................................................12
2.1.5 Current Work on Water Governance...................................................................................................12
2.1.6 Understanding public Service delivery................................................................................................12
2.1.7 Water Sector Policy Goals...................................................................................................................15
2.1.8 Urban Water Demand and Coverage...................................................................................................15
2.1.9 Water Service Provision and Delivery in the Ethiopian context..........................................................17
2.1.9.1 Major Stakeholders and their Roles in Water Service Supply in Ethiopia...................................19
2.1.9.2 Water Supply sector and corruption in Ethiopia...........................................................................21
2.2 Empirical Evidence.....................................................................................................................................21
2.3 Theoretical Framework...............................................................................................................................22
2.3.1 Applying the CART Framework to Improve Governance in Water Service.......................................22
2.3.2 State Capability as a Dimension of Governance in Water Service......................................................22
2.3.3 Accountability in Water Service..........................................................................................................23
2.3.4 Responsiveness to the Citizens and Users Water Service Needs.........................................................23
2.3.5 Transparent to citizens or users of Water Service Needs.....................................................................23
2.3.6 Strength and Weakness of the Framework...........................................................................................24
Limitation of the Framework....................................................................................................................25

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 Benefits of the Framework........................................................................................................................25
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research design...........................................................................................................................................27
3.2 Population of the study Area.......................................................................................................................27
3.3 Sampling Frame..........................................................................................................................................28
3.4 Sampling Techniques and Sample Size......................................................................................................29
3.5 Source of Data.............................................................................................................................................31
3.6 Data Collection Method..............................................................................................................................31
3.7 Method of Data Analysis.............................................................................................................................31
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Demographic Distribution of Respondents.................................................................................................32
4.2 Descriptive Statistics Analysis....................................................................................................................33
4.3 Availability of water in the study area........................................................................................................35
4.4 Respondents satisfaction in water service delivery.....................................................................................36
4.5. Respondents opinions towards Water governance system in Belay Zeleke sub-city................................36
4.6 Interview Analysis.......................................................................................................................................42
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMARRY,CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Summary of major findings.........................................................................................................................46
5.2 Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................46
5.3 Recommendations.......................................................................................................................................47
Bibliography..................................................................................................................................................48
Appendix...........................................................................................................................................................50
Questionnaires...............................................................................................................................................50
Interview Questions for BCWSS government officials................................................................................53
Interview questions for Belay Zeleke sub city Administration officials.......................................................54
Interview for community forum leaders........................................................................................................55

List of Tables and Figures

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Acronyms and Abbreviations
BZSCOWSS Belay Zeleke Sub City’s Office of Water and Sewerage Service.
BCWSS Bahir dar city water and sewerage service
CART Capability, accountability, responsiveness and transparency
CBO’s Community based organizations
CGA Counter governance assessment
CMP Community managed Project
CSA Central statistical agency

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CO WaSH Community lead accelerated water and sanitation Hygiene
CO Water Community led accelerated water
E.C Ethiopian calendar
ECA Economic commission for Africa
GWP Global water partnership
HoD Head of Department
MDG’s Millennium development goals
MOE Ministry of education
MOFED Ministry of finance and economic development
MoWE Ministry of water and energy
NGO’s Non- governmental organizations
PPP’s Public private partnerships
SIWI Stockholm international water institute
SPSS Statistical package for social science
UAP Universal Access Plan
UN United Nations

UNDP United Nation Development Program

UNSECO United Nations educational, scientific and cultural Organization
WaSH Water and sanitation hygiene
WIF Water and sanitation hygiene Implementation
WSSD World summit on sustainable development

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 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Water is an unbendable human right and access to it is therefore necessary for human
development, however, water service provision continues to challenge most water utilities in
developing countries including Ethiopia (Makhari, 2016).
In developing countries where the development of water is mostly government-driven, failure to
develop adequate water supply systems has been noted as a function of the interplay of several
factors (Makhari, 2016).
Decentralization of operational and managerial functions to lower-level, locally elected
governments is often proposed to increase efficiency and equity in providing public service. In
theory decentralization improves the allocation of the sources since local governments know
better the needs of their constituents (Mintesnot, 2015).

According to Adejuwon and Kehinde David, the concept of good governance is not new. It is as
old as human civilization. Etymologically and semantically, words like “governance” and “good
governance” seem to belong to the same genus as very ancient terms like 'state' and 'government'.
In fact, right from the recognition of the concept of government, either for the community or for
the nation state, value premises have been developed as to how a government has to perform and
how not to function. Thinkers and theorists have pondered upon the concept continuously.
Good governance issue was commenced after Cold war as the concern of the development
practitioner. In the aid issue, “good governance” becomes the most notable paradigm within
which to direct all political reform efforts. Aid was used simply as a carrot to assist this
objective. The motives were questionable and less transparent. In relation to this as argued, the
World Bank had originally go on board upon utilizing the concept of governance as it come to
grips with the challenge of why aid is not success full[ CITATION Abr13 \l 1033 ].
According to Mintesnote(2016), Ethiopia is committed through its universal access plan (UAP)
to reaching full covering in wash service. This will be achieved in parallel with and based up on
a process decentralization of a range of a state provided services, a decentralization process
based in part up on its federal nature and in part a desire to make service delivery more equitable,
efficient and effective. The twin pressure of decentralization and the ambitions targets at UAP

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are resulting in arrange at pressing challenge for stakeholders at all levels and scale-form the
region down to the local level.
Modern water development schemes are relatively recent phenomenon in Ethiopia. The imperial
government took the first initiatives in water resource development in the second half of the
1950.

1.2 Problem Statement

In most developing countries, there is growing dissatisfaction with the public service delivery.
Deficiencies in the coverage, access and quality of basic services and infrastructures such as
water supply and roads are common. For example, there are around 1.2 billion people in the
world, who lack access to sufficient quantities of safe water. Like most countries in the
developing world, African countries have major difficulty in providing effective and equitable
public services. While several factors have contributed to this phenomenon, the fundamental
problems are broadly related to governance issues where transparency, responsiveness and
effective accountability mechanisms over services are lacking. The poor are usually excluded
from participation in the design and oversight of the policies and programs that affect their lives.
This is due to low levels of transparency, and responsiveness of governments and service
providers to their rights and needs. The public suffer from informational asymmetries since the
information possessed by service providers often is not available, affecting their capacity to
voice. Informational asymmetries could be attributed to many factors. Restrictions by
governments’ to public access to information or limit the scope for the media to challenge or
publicize the poor quality and other attributes of services are important factors. Poor
communication technologies affect effective dissemination of information to the public. In the
current context, however, effective and efficient public service delivery does not depend only on
the supply side, but also on the demand side in that citizens have to request for better service
delivery and seek accountability for decisions made and actions taken by public officials. This
side of the service delivery function is however, affected by, among other things, illiteracy,
because peoples’ capacity in voicing and demanding better service or access is greatly affected
by their level of knowledge and skills. Poor service delivery has been occasioned by government
monopoly of many public services and the limited capacity of the public to demand for and
monitor the services. In many developing countries, neither there is the potential or scope for the
public to exit when dissatisfied with a public service nor they can influence the outcome of a

2
service through some form of participation or articulation of protest/feedback [ CITATION Tes13 \l
1033 ].This indicates that responsiveness, transparency, capability and accountability are at the
center of governance processes in the water service delivery are very low.
According to Amhara Regional water and construction office report (2017), the problem in water
supply provision in Bahirdar city is associated partly with seasonal fluctuation at the water
reservoirs, low capital investment and lack of efficient water governance among concerned
authorities. However, there is a general agreement that governance is one of the most crucial
determinants of success or failure of water supply service. Quite frequently Ethiopian planners
emphasize the agronomic, engineering or technical aspect at water projects, while giving less
attention to governance and participation of stakeholders.
Samuel (2014) indicated that although, water supply service has a long history in Bahirdar city,
going through two to three days or even a week without water has become common in many
areas of the city.
Like many developing countries, public service delivery in Ethiopia suffers from weak capacity
of public agencies and lack of effective transparency, responsiveness and accountability systems.
Direct accountability of service providers to citizens is at the infant stage while the long route is
characterized by rigid bureaucratic process that effective transparency, responsiveness,
accountability and transparency, even there are no alternatives for citizens, since public service
deliveries are under the monopoly of public agencies [ CITATION Bey16 \l 1033 ].
Even though many studies have been conducted regarding governance and public service
deliveries on topics like political, social, economical, and other related issues, little studies have
been conducted on the case of water supply service delivery in Bahir Dar city. That is why the
researcher needs to assess public service delivery in the water supply sector in accordance with
responsiveness, capability, accountability and transparency of water service supply sector in
Belay Zeleke sub city.
Thus, the following research questions are addressed in this study.
 Is the accountability and capability system of BZSCOWSS office effective on the water
supply service delivery in Belay Zeleke sub city?
 How water supply service is delivered to the people of the sub city with respect to
transparency and or responsibility concepts?
 Why the customers of the sub city are dissatisfied by the service delivering process of the

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 office?
 What are the major challenges of accountability, capability, transparency and
responsibility of the water supply service delivery in the sub city?
 Do the people of the sub city are directly or indirectly involved in water supply service
delivery process?

1.3 Objective
1.3.1 General Objective
The general objective of this study is to assess public service delivery in water supply service, in
Bahirdar city specifically, Belay Zeleke sub-city in accordance with accountability,
responsiveness, capability and transparency.
1.3.2 Specific objectives
The specific objectives of the study are to;
 Assess the practice of accountability in water service delivery process.
 Assess the capability of the service provider in the water service provision process.
 Assess the causes of dissatisfaction of customers’ in the water service provision process
in connection with the above four independent variables.
 Explore the major accountability, capability, and transparency and responsibility
challenges of the water supply service sector.
 Assess whether the clients are participatory in the water supply service delivery process
in the sub city.
 Forward possible recommendations to BZSCOWSS office and other concerned groups.

1.4 Delimitation of the Study

The study is focused, only on public service delivery in drinking water supply service delivery in
Bahir Dar city in general and Belay Zeleke sub city in particular. Besides, hereby the study, the
researcher is focused only on the effectiveness of water service delivery in accordance with
accountability, capability, and responsibility and transparency dimensions.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The findings of this study are expected to be significant for the following cases. Government and
other parties who are the first responsible in the public service delivery may use the findings of
this paper as additional information to address the problems uncovered in the improvement of

4
water supply service delivery in the sub city. As there is little research, output and literature
regarding water supply service in Ethiopia, academics, consultants and government as well as
NGOs and agencies may therefore use the study as a tool for further study in the area for
different purposes , especially for those who wants to involve in the sector. Both postgraduate
and undergraduate students may find the study useful for their academic work. The findings may
also be considered as important additions to the existing knowledge and literature for future
researchers and others.

CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LETRATUE

INTRODUCTION
Problems in providing satisfactory water supply to the rapidly growing population especially that

5
of the developing countries is increasing from time to time. Water supply systems in urban areas
are often unable to meet existing demands and are not available to everyone rather some
consumers take disproportionate amounts of water and the poor is the first victim to the problem.
The developing cities have great difficulty, both financial and technical, to develop and expand
water supply projects and one of the difficulties coupled with governance and delivery of
distribution system.

2.1 Theoretical Foundations

2.1.1 Concept of Governance
DFID (2007) asserted that, the term governance is now used widely by aid agencies but it has
been defined in a variety of different ways. It originally served to connect debates on politics and
administration that equated governance with government, but the focus has subsequently been
broadened beyond government to encompass relationships between a range of state and non-state
institutions. As such the term now refers broadly to power and authority and how country
manages affairs and it encompasses all the mechanisms, process, relationships and institutions
through which citizens and groups articulate their interests and exercises their rights and
obligations.
 The emerging governance agenda is thus a broad one, which reflects its multi-dimensional
nature and diverse theoretical organs in different disciplines. Key theme that are directly
relevant to the governance in water service agenda include:
 Changing role of Government: -the role of the state is increasingly challenged at local,
national and international levels with increased involvement of non-state actors in activities
that have been considered the exclusive preserve of government. It is important to note
therefore that the appropriate role of government in relation to different spheres of
governance including water remains subject to ongoing debate and discussion.
 Institutional Complexity: Governance concerns the functions and interplay of institutions in
the broadest sense including social networks and markets as well as state institutions it is
important to recognize that while institutions of governance may operate according to
formal rules and procedure, outcomes are also shaped by informal norms, rules and
expectations.
 Effective Relationships: - is between networks and partnerships to coordinate the activities
of state, communities, private sector and civil societies towards collective societal goals.

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  Centrality of Politics: the particular value of the term governance is that it focuses on the
formal and informal rules under which power is exercised in the society and highlights the
conflicts inherent in decision making process. Current thinking suggests that governance
needs to be understood as a product of social and political contestation and bargaining
between multiple different actors. This has been accompanied by a growing focus on
participation and empowerment of marginalized groups or individuals.
2.1.2 Water Service Governance
Ahmad et al (2005) suggested that, a variety of governance approaches have been proposed to
increase access to piped water and improve the efficiency of existing water utilities in developing
countries.
Those proposals include municipal management of water service in a decentralized governance
approach, privatization of water utilities and administration of water service at the community
level.
In addition to variation in terms of system ownership these forms of service governance have
different incentives and function within particular institutional arrangements that rule the
interaction between water consumers and suppliers and that may influence the effectiveness of
utilities in providing driving water.
However, apart from improving allocation and management efficiency of water sector through
reform process, it is also to perform the reforms in the service delivery, wherein the capacity is
also very high because of the much closer interface with public. The major parts of reform in
service delivery are:
1. Governance and management
2. Organizational design and focus
3. Economic incentives and accounting systems

Municipal Water Services

Ahmed et al (2005) indicated that, decentralization of operational and managerial functions to
lower-level locally elected governments are often proposed to increase efficiency and equity in
providing public service. In theory decentralization improves the allocation of the sources since
local governments know better the needs of their constituents. Due to their proximity to a
relatively low number of constituents, local governments tend to have lower transaction costs
and more information than the central government that enables to them to be more responsible

7
and efficient, particularly in heterogeneous societies.

World Bank (2009) stated that, Decentralization however, has not always improved the
efficiency of service providers. In India Asthana (2003) found that locally managed water
utilities were less efficient than state-managed utilities in terms of expense and asset utilization.

Anwandter and Ozuna (2002) also reported that the decentralization of water services to the
municipal level had not improved the efficiency of water utilities in Mexico local governments
may lack technical, financial and administrative capacity needed to provide public service
manage local resources.

Private Water Services

Hall and Delamot (2005) proclaim that, the theoretical perspective, markets are efficient in
supplying private goods in the absence of externalities, asymmetric information and
monopolistic practices. However, these imperfections are often present in water markets.
Regardless of these imperfections, privatization water services (with appropriate regulation) have
been deemed a viable means to introduce competition and improve efficiency in the water sector.
More importantly, due to its profit, maximization incentives, the private sector is expected to
increasingly investing in infrastructure and this increase access to improved water
services.However, existing empirical evidence on the performance of private water utilities does
not always support theoretical expectations. For instance, Chang and Lopez-de-Silanes (2004)
reported improvements in profitability, operating efficiency investments and access to water after
privatization of some water utilities in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and
Peru. In contrast, Prasad (2006) argued that private utilities are no more efficient in delivering
service than the public sector. Budds and McGrhanhan (2003) also argued that private utilities in
developing countries (for example, Bolivia and Tridand and Tobago) perform poorly.
Less contradictory is the fact that water tariffs increased after privatization. Budds and Mc.
Granahan(2003) reported that water tariffs increased by as much as 200% after water services
were privatized in Cochabamba, Bolivia given that increase in water tariffs may have a
regressive welfare effect on low-income households (Israel,2007). Initiatives to private water
services have sparked public resistance worldwide (Hall, Lobina and De La. Motte, 2005).
Martimort and Straub (2009) indicated that public discontent with privatized water services is
also associated with changes in the degree and pattern of corruption derived from privatization

8
process (that is privatization is often perceived as transferring profitable state-owned companies
to the ruling elite). In some cases, public discontent with privatization of the water supply has
reached levels high enough to cause water services to revert the public sector (Budds and
McGranahan, 2003).

Community-Managed Water Services

Community participation in planning, designing, delivering, Monitoring and evaluating services
has been deemed a critical component for local development (Bovaird, 2007). It is becoming
increasingly common to observe community organizations in managing and delivering water
services to their communities particularly in rural areas were public and private utilities have
failed to provide driving water. In a community –managed system, water consumer are also
water suppliers, often required to provide voluntary inputs for system operation and
infrastructure maintenance. They may also be required to participate as committee members
performing such tasks as collecting water fees and undertaking organizational endeavors.

This dual role imposes additional costs that do not exist in other forms as service governance (for
example, municipal and private utilities). Moreover, Goetz and Gaventa(2001) argued that
implementation of community-managed system is not always responsive to community
preferences of ten times community management is a condition that government agencies and
non-governmental organization imposes when they invest in the communities’ water
infrastructure.
In recent evaluation of community-managed system in Bolivia, Peru and Ghana (Whittington,
2009) found that many community-managed systems were operational, particularly when
supported with technical assistance. Yet, similar to local governments communities may lack the
technical, financial and administrative capacities needed to operate and maintain water systems.
One of the difficulties faced by the water authority is determining the accurate water demand of
the city as the consumption during the past years that should have been used as a base is far
below the actual demand due to shortage of water. Consumption of water for the city is therefore
is based on the amount supplied rather the actual demand. For this reason, estimate of the future
demand by the water authority is found to be uncertain. Reed (2007) noted the sustainability of
community-In addition, as Harvey and managed systems may be jeopardized by community
fatigue in providing voluntary inputs, by mobility of community leaders and by distrust in the

9
community organization responsible for managing the system–presumably due to lack of
transparency, accountability and requisition. The sustainability of community-managed system is
also at risk due to low water tariffs, low user compliance and lack of financial resources to repair
water infrastructure (San Som,2006: Whittington et al, 2009) under these circumstances water
infrastructure may fall in to disrepair and community managed systems may provide poorer
service than other providers.
2.1.3 Good Governance for Good Water Management
Rogers and Hall (2003) stated that, the stated principles of good water governance follow those
of good governance in general and build on core concepts of equity, efficiency, participation,
decentralization, integration, transparency and accountability (UN, 2003). GWP propose two
broad sets of principles that underpin effective water governance that approaches to be
transparent, inclusive, coherent and integrative, equitable and performance operations be
accountable, efficient, responsive and sustainable.
Global Water Partnership (2003) declared that, effective management of water resources is vital
to sustainable development. Government across the world has spent effort and resources to move
towards the goal. Water governance of political, social, economical, refers administrative
systems that are in place to develop and manage water resources and the delivery of water
services at different level of society. Good water governance depends on a number of
factors including strong policy legal and regulatory frameworks and more effective
implementing organizations: active determination to improve water governance and appropriate
investments. Each of these factors is elusive, particularly in developing and middle-income
countries, but several countries are beginning to address these issues.
2.1.4 Key Approaches on Water Governance
Patric et al (2008) stated that, The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed to halve the
number of people without adequate access to water and sanitation service by 2015. Although the
MDGs do not have a strong focus on water governance, or on city/local institutions and process,
this goal is one of the main concerns of the water governance debate.
According to UNSECO (2006), the current problem of water service delivery has been mainly
caused not by a lack of water supply or technology, but rather by a failure in water governance.
In the context of climate change and the increasing burden on water resource including water
pollution as a result of economic development and societal change. It is becoming increasingly

10
necessary to address the issue of the nexus between poverty reduction and water eco-system
management.
Patric et al (2008) indicated that, Stakeholder and private sector participation in spite of
increasing levels of stakeholder involvement in decision-making, the involvement of the private
sector and civil society in design, construction, operation and maintenance of water supply
systems is relatively low.This reflects, in part, government suspicion of actors in water service
provision.
2.1.5 Current Work on Water Governance
Rogers and Hall (2003), say publicly, the global water partnership (GWP)define water
governance as a very broad term with the range of political, social, economic and administrative
systems that are in place to develop and manage water resource and the delivery of water service
at different levels of society. Many other agencies have subsequently adopted the same
definition, including the World Bank. Stockholm international water institute (SIWI) further
emphasizes the politics dimension of governance, which simply state the water governance
determines who gets what water, when and how.
2.1.6 Understanding public Service delivery
As Aquye (2002), stated that central or local governments for the community at large provide
public services. According to OECD (2010), public services include all services provided by the
government as well as all services where the government has a significant influence. OECD
further states that public services can be provided directly by the government or indirectly where
the government is not the direct provider but still plays a role in their provision through
regulation or a financial contribution. The most obvious public services are those directly
provided by some level of government, such as police protection or building inspection.
Humphreys (1998), concurs that public services are those services that are mainly or completely
funded by taxation and that typically, public. According to Tamrakar (2010), public services
should be concerned with what customers want rather than what providers are prepared to give.
Yet in most of the developing countries public service delivery is characteristic of ineffective,
cumbersome, too procedural, costly, red taped and not transparent systems. Tamrakar (2010)
further argues that generally, public servants have acted as masters without any sense of
accountability and transparency instead of acting as servants of people (Tamrakar, 2010). As
(Besley and Ghatak 2007) concluded that public service delivery is based on four key issues:

11
Public service provision is often mission-oriented and that the mission of the organization
displaces the conventional notion of profit maximization used in the case of private sector
organizations, Accountability in public service delivery applies to the political, bureaucratic as
well as market spheres. It refers to the system of punishment and reward consequent on actions
taken by agents to put in place specific individuals to make decisions. Although it does not have
to be governed by formal relationships, competition from private organizations can induce public
organizations to get their act together to hold on to funding and to their clientele and Utilization
of resources on the evaluation of policies is a crucial part of effective public service provision.
Missions are either too weak or not aligned and front line actors cannot be made directly
accountable by the beneficiaries (selamawit,2015).
Accountability is very relevant to an understanding of the WSS sector in Africa in that it
highlights the aggregate effect of monopoly and discretionary power. The WSSS has long
struggled with its monopolistic past and the traits (such as high capital costs and economies of
scale) that tend to keep it that way (Selsmawit 2015).

The Supply Side of Public Service Delivery

Birner(2007) asserted that, Supply side of public service delivery refers to the production and
delivery of public services through the involvement of multiple governance actors that include
public agencies, private enterprises, NGOs, CBOs and communities at large. Thus, strategies
designed to improve the supply side of public service delivery need to focus on increasing the
capacity and incentives of public agencies and other service providers to participate in different
ways to that theory can best fulfill functions. There are two major approaches of improving the
supply side public service delivery vis-à-vis administrative and fiscal decentralization to public
agencies and creating the enabling environment for involvement of non-state actors that include
private sector agencies, user organizations and NGOs in the provision of public services. The
first approaches aim at improving the capacities of autonomous service delivery public agencies
and local governments. This approach, however, is challenged by lack of willingness and
commitment by central/state governments to effective administrative and fiscal decentralization.
The second approach of improving the supply side of public service delivery, aims at creating the
enabling environment for non-state providers to engage in activates that increase and improve
service provision to poor people (Batley, 2006). There are a number of institutional arrangements
or intervention-state actors’ modalities take part in the production and delivery of public

12
services. World Bank (1999) declared that, the most common institutional arrangements include
contracting out, privatization, public-private partnerships, public-private –civil society
partnerships, developing management authority to user groups and service cooperative.
Public private partnerships (PPPs) are other institutional arrangements for service delivery that
basically create joint responsibilities for financing and providing services and infrastructure. It
refers to the combination of a public need with private capability and resource to create a market
opportunity through which the public need is meeting and a profit is made.
ECA (2005) announced that, of course, public-private partnership is not necessarily suitable for
targeting the poor but they can free up the public resources through which the government can
focus of the poor and underserved.
There are different PPPs arrangements through which different levels partnership are established
to improve levels of efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and adequacy of public services.
Public sector agencies can establish any form of partnership with small scale independent
providers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or the private sector. In most cases, the
arrangements are service or sector specific. That is not all arrangements best fit to every sector
nor has every non-state actor the capacity and expertise to effectively undertake public service
delivery in every sector.
Moreover, PPPs are not magic bullets for achieving desired outcomes: their success depends on
certain key factors which among others include: through planning, good communication strong
commitment from parties and effective monitoring, regulation and enforcement by the
government.
Briner (2007) asserted that, privatization is well suited for services that are not confronted with
market failure. If market failures are unavoidable due to natural monopolies and other reasons, as
with water and electricity supplies, privatization need to be combined with regulations of
ensuring that the poor have access to such services. The private sector can be involved in public
service functions through a wide range of forms of privatization.
Thus, to select most appropriate type of private sector involvement there is strong need for
careful appraising the costs and benefits of each alternative organizational arrangement.
2.1.7 Water Sector Policy Goals
The universal access program for water supply and sanitation service (2012), declared that the
overall goals of the federal water resources management policy (1999) and the water sector

13
strategy (2001), are to promote national efforts towards efficient, equitable and optimum
utilization of the available water resources of Ethiopia in order to achieve significant socio-
economic development on sustainable basis. Some of the major principles of the policy are:
1. Develop ownership to lower tires and enhancing management autonomy to the lowest
possible level.
2. Involvement of all stakeholders including the private sector, in promotion.
3. Moring towards full cost recovery for urban water supply systems and recovery of
operational and maintenance costs for rural schemes.
4. Enhancing urban water supply through autonomous bodies.
2.1.8 Urban Water Demand and Coverage
Water Demand Management
Water demand is defined as the volume of water requested by users to satisfy their needs.The
appropriateness of selecting an alternative organizational arrangement depends on the particular
circumstances like: cost-effectiveness, opportunity to introduce competition in to the service
market, attractiveness to the private sector, ease of administration and post private regulation and
capacity to service customer, are important criteria against which alternatives may be evaluated.
The alternative forms of service delivery through privatization includes, contracting out services
to private firms, franchising services to the private sector, use of grants and vouchers, build own-
operate-transfer projects, mobilizing NGOs, community groups, residents, associations and
charitable organizations, introducing self-service and self-reliance measure, employee buy-out
schemes (selling an enterprise to the work force) as well as selling out of public enterprises
(privatization) to private firms, (World Bank,1999). Public-private-civil society partnerships
involve the collaboration between public, civil society and private organizations to produce and
deliver public services. This approach not only helps to mobilize resources from different
sectors, but also management experiences that may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of
service delivery.
In a simplified way it is often considered equal to water consumption, although conceptually
two terms do not have the same meaning. In most developing countries the theoretical water
demand considerably exceeds the actual consumptive water use.
Mwendera et al (2003) announced that, Water demand management refers to any social
beneficiations that reduces average or peak water withdrawals or consumption form either

14
surface ground water, consistent with the protection or enhancement of water quality. According
to Rother and Macy (2000), water demand management is the adoption and implementation of
strategy by a water institution to influence the water demand and usage in order to meet any of
the following objectives that is economic efficiency, social development, and social equity.
Urban water demand is classified in to different category that domestic water demand includes in
house use and out-of-house-use is among others. In-house-use includes domestic for drinking,
cooking, sanitation, house cleaning, laundry and car washing while. Out-of-house-use includes
like garden watering, swimming pools, public stand pipes for public uses and fountains,
etc.Urban water demand is usually quoted in terms of litter per capita per day
(1/cap/day).Despite the variation in residential in door water use from house hold to house hold a
typical pattern (referred to as the water use profile) can be developed to provide a reasonable
representation indoor water use, based on the different indoor water use components (kitchen,
bathroom, laundry and toilet) and house hold occupancy (Mitchell et al, 2000). In many African
cities, urban water demands are often non-homogeneous owning to manage of levels service
occurring within the same urban areas. Levels of services can vary from household connections
to stand pipes or to no service at all.
One of the difficulties faced by the water authority is determining the accurate water demand of
the city as the consumption during the past years that should have been used as a base is far
below the actual demand. This was due to shortage of water consumption of water for the city,
therefore, is based on the amount supplied rather the actual demand. For this reason, estimate of
the future demand by the water authority is found to be uncertain.
Urban Water Coverage
Un-Habitat (2003) declared that, Water supply coverage provides a picture of the water supply
situation of one specific country or city and helps to compare one country with others and the
inter and intra city distribution with in specific country.
The percentages of population with or without piped water connection are relevant indicator to
compare the coverage of water supply in areas. Although the water supply coverage is better in
urban areas while compared with the rural, the actual water supply coverage in cities of
developing countries in general and African cities in particular is very low while compared to the
demand.
According to the Global water supply and sanitation assessment 2000 report, the African largest

15
cities are having 43% house connection or yard tap ,21% served by public tap while 31% of the
population are un-served. A household is considered to have access to improved drinking water,
if it has sufficient amount of water (20 liters/person/day), for family use at an affordable price
(less than 10% of the house hold income), available to household members without being subject
to extreme effort (less than one hour a day for the minimum sufficient quality), especially to
woman and children.
On the other hand, a minimum quality of 25 liters of potable water per person per day provide at
a minimum flow rate of not less than 10 litters within the source being available within 200
meters. From a house hold and the supply not interrupted for more than seven days per year (that
is water should be available 98% of the time) is considered as a basic service for Southern
African cities domestic water supply.
2.1.9 Water Service Provision and Delivery in the Ethiopian context
The water supply and sanitation sector in Ethiopia is one of the least developed and is mostly
characterized by service deficiency of physical infrastructure as well as by inadequate
management capacity to handle policy and regulatory issue and to plan, operate, and maintain the
service. Regarding this, World Bank Group (2005:2) stated that though Ethiopia is often referred
to as the “water tower” of Africa, only a quarter of the country’s population have improved
access to water sources. Rushing streams from the Ethiopian highlands form tributaries of
famous Blue Nile, Tekeze, Awash, Omo, Wabeshebele and Baro-Akobo-rivers that flow across
borders to neighboring countries.
Six billion cubic meters of water run out of Ethiopia as the Blue Nile River to the Sudan and
Egypt. But as recurrent drought drives more and more rural people from their traditional
farmlands to urban centers, Ethiopia faces growing urban water crises. Ethiopia has one of the
highest urbanization growth rates in the developing World. According to data obtained from the
Central Statistical Authority, the country’s urban population was growing at 4.8 per cent per
annum between the1995 to 2000. The urban population in Ethiopia in 1984, the first census
period, was 4.3 million forming 11 per cent of the total population. In 1994, the second census
period, the urban population was 7.4 million. Total urban population had increased by 12 per
cent from that of 1984. Interms of urban centers, in 1984, Ethiopia had 312 urban centers with
population of over 2000. In 1994, the second census period, the urban centers in the country
grew to 534 registering an increase of 71 per cent over that of 1984 though the definitions of the

16
two censuses are not the same (Tegegne, 2000:2). The growth has been much higher for some
intermediate 20 towns. For instance, Asayaita (6.5%), Assosa (9.9%), Gambella (15%), and
Jijiga (9.1%). In 2000 17.6% of Ethiopia’s population or about 11 million people live in about
927 cities and towns of different sizes and categories. Currently, in 2005 about 20.1% of urban
populations live in cities and towns of different sizes and categories. The rapid growth of urban
population has placed tremendous pressure on the management Capacity of municipalities for
service delivery and local economic development. This phenomenal growth has also burdened
many municipalities with the problems of inadequate housing, poverty and unemployment,
inadequate water and electricity supply, and poor sanitation systems. Available data also
indicate that in the next 25 years (1994-2020), nearly 30 per cent of Ethiopia’s population will
live in cities. This kind of rapid urban population growth will inevitably call for huge
investments in housing, urban infrastructure, water and electricity supply, sanitation systems and
environmental protection programs and programs to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the
cities. This implies that the challenge will require well trained municipal management and
resource capacity, responsive urban governance and well trained and motivated personnel and
sustaining services such as water, electricity supply, local revenue collection and administration
to meet the ever growing demand for better and more quality services and infrastructures.

2.1.9.1 Major Stakeholders and their Roles in Water Service Supply in Ethiopia

A. Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE)

The ministry of water and energy of Ethiopia (MoWE) is a federal organization established to
undertake the management of water and energy resource of Ethiopia. Thus, development,
planning and management of waters and energy resources, development of policies, strategies
and programs, develop and implement water and energy sector laws and regulation, conduct
study and research activities, provide technical support to regional water and energy bureaus and
offices and sign international agreements are among the major functions of the ministry. The role
of the MoWE with regard to rule water supply is to develop policies strategies and national
programs, allocate financial resources, and coordinate multi region programs at national level,
provide capacity building and identify funding for rural water supply. The WSSD is the main
governmental actor in rural water supply and thus very important for COWASH. The WSSD and
COWASH all have similar objectives with regard to WASH development in Ethiopia and

17
therefore coordination and therefore coordination and collaboration among them is necessary.
COWASH also constitutes an additional resource to ministry and thus supports the sector
development. The cooperation with the ministry’s women, youth and children, administration
directorate, water sector support and capacity building directorate and, research and development
directorate is important for the success of COWASH in order to avoid overlapping activities and
to utilize existing resources and knowledge. COWASH as part of the MoWE capacity building
can in the future contribute a lot to the planning and implementing, joint monitoring programs
and to the development of national strategies guidelines and training materials and report.

B. Ministry of Finance and Economic Development

It is responsible for signing agreements with donors: channeling from the treasury and external
assistance, monitoring and reporting utilization of finance and ensuring that all government
accounts are audited (by internal as well as external auditors and responsible for purchases in all
public office at zonal and Woreda level.
Ministry of finance and economic development is established to initiate policies that ensure
sustainable and equitable economic development as well as macroeconomic stability in Ethiopia.
Its duties include the establishment of a system for the preparation and implementation of
national development plan, and the follow-up and evaluation of the performance of general, sect
oral and multi-sect oral developments in accordance with the budget approved and evaluates the
performance of the budget.
MoFED is playing a key role in the WaSH sector as it oversees the bi-lateral financing and
budgets of other line ministries. In COWASH implementation, MoFED is the body that signs the
funding agreements with the external financiers and allocates money to the regions, WaASH
budgets. MoFED has also been very active in promoting the CMP approach and its benefits. The
development of many future harmonizing structures introduced in the WIF, such as one WaSH
budget and consolidated WASH account, need close participation of the MOFED.

C. Ministry of Civil Service and Human Resource Development

The former ministry of capacity building is responsible for the national capacity building
program at all levels at regional and Woreda levels, responsible for recruitment, transfer,
disciplinary measures and capacity building of all public-sector staff. Capacity Building provide
sustainable and objectives-oriented training on the relevant areas of water resource management

18
as well as develop and implement effective means in order to efficiently utilize and sustainable
retain trained man power. It devices appropriate strategies for the development and construction
through different incentive mechanisms. Beside that it provides the necessary capacity building,
as much as conditions permit to the regions, with special emphasis to the underdeveloped
regional states, for efficient and equitable water resource management.

D. Ministry of Women’s Affairs

Responsible for mainstreaming gender issues in all government programs at all levels, and
empowering women. Women fulfill important roles as a manger of natural resources.
They have the knowledge, experience and skills of fetching, handing and use of water and
sanitation resources. However, despite their level of responsibility, they have no opportunity to
participate fully in the development process of this important resource for variety of reasons.
Thus, it becomes quite a necessity to reverse this situation, bring women frequently on the scene
for consultation, and allow their full participation.
The water resource affairs department of ministry of water resources has been exerting a lot of
efforts to promote gender mainstreaming at different levels in the sector.
2.1.9.2 Water Supply sector and corruption in Ethiopia
The main cause of corruption in WSS includes lack of transparency, accountability, integrity,
responsiveness, efficiency, citizen participation and other features of good governance,
ineffective organizational structures, poor compliant handling mechanism in water supply and
sanitation, social cultural, Political and economic factors/inflation , coupled with inadequate
finance, inadequate man power and other resources ( Pathak et al,2008). Davis, 2003, Rose-
Ackermann, 1999 and Pathak, (2008) described corruption as outcomes of monopoly power,
wide discretionary power given to water supply and sanitation sector officials, lack of good
governance(where transparency, accountability, integrity , responsiveness and other features of
effective public service governance ) and ineffective organizational structures(Selamawit,2015).
Typical examples of corruption include falsified meter reading, distorted site selection of
boreholes, collusion and favoritism in public procurement, and nepotism in the allocation of
public offices (Davis, 2003). The variation in sorts of corruption activities is partly explained by
the large number of different kinds of actors engaged in the water sector. In the public domain,
this includes political leaders, policy makers, procurement and regulation officials, law
enforcement agencies, and technical staff, as well as international development partners. Civil

19
society plays a vital role via stakeholder facilitation, allowing demands and discontent to be
voiced and playing a key role in advocating reform. Notable actors include the media, water
stakeholder associations, environmental protection groups, as well as religious leaders concerned
with social justice and sustainable development (P. Cross and J. Plummer, 2009).

2.2 Empirical Evidence

Fenta et.al. (2012) concluded that, many housing units connected to water supply system in
Addis Ababa get water during the night when there is less competition from hotels, industries
and other sectors. Finding from the survey indicated that 63% respondent in Addis Ababa
reported that they get water on irregular basis, moreover, it is common to see broken water lines
in which water is wasted, in the period 2007-2010, on average only 56% of water produced in
Addis Ababa was actually delivered to users.
Fenta et al (2012) found that access to water refers to the degree of difficulty for customers to get
water from the source as well as own meter connection, evidence show that the city far from a
way ensuring universal access to safe drinking water because of expansion and population
growth. According to data obtained from water agencies access to safe drinking water reached
75% household respondents were asked to evaluate access to safe drinking water. With regard to
difficulty in getting water from the source 45.4% respondents indicated that it is very easy.
Some 26% and 24.7% of the respondent reported it is to be difficult/very difficult and modest
respectively. In governance aspect household respondents were asked to indicate whether they
know any clear legal system and practical mechanisms put in place to ensure accountability of
the water supply agencies, only 12.2% said “no”. They (71.3%), majority however, did not have
any knowledge whether it exist or not.

2.3 Theoretical Framework

2.3.1 Applying the CART Framework to Improve Governance in Water Service
DFID`s (2010) paper “eliminating world poverty mentioned that governance is central to
development and sets out three requirements for good governance; state capability,
accountability, responsiveness and transparency.
The CART framework can be developed to provide analytical tool for sector assessment and
whether and how it can be used to describe how to improve governance in the development
implementation of water service interventions. The CART framework potentially provides a tool

20
for both: 1) Sector analysis and 2) for defining sector goals at the country level it provides a
useful way to integrate and mutually reinforce activity at country level, and at the sector analysis
project appraisal, measuring and monitoring stages.
2.3.2 State Capability as a Dimension of Governance in Water Service
State capability in relation to water concerns the ability and authority of leaders. Governments
and public organization to get water services to the people through effective polices and sound
implementation practices. This requires appropriate human and financial resource for activity
related to water supply, effective institutions performing delineated roles, improved information
and management systems, and political will backed by the necessary rules (be they regulations or
informal norms)for service delivery. It requires sufficiency in revenue and budgetary allocations,
effective policy formulation and implementation and skilled and accountable staff working in
effective institutions.
2.3.3 Accountability in Water Service
Accountability is about being answerable for what is done, and requires the ability of citizens,
civil society organizations non-governmental organizations (NGOS), community-based
organizations (CBOs) and the private sector to scrutinize public institution and governments and
hold them to account. Fundamentally, accountability in water service is about the power
relationships shaped by actors and influencing the water sector. Accountability for water service
delivery requires some basic ingredients like government understanding at the objectives and
processes for improved accountability, respect for civil society to play a role in holding
government to account over water service delivery and civil society having the confidence, trust
and skills to fulfill the role. While much focus is placed on the government position, there is
often little understanding at the difficulties (reticence and capacity) the weak civil societies face.
This requires understanding the incentives for civic engagement and the conditions under which
it is likely to happen, the burden this places on the poor and ways in which this burden could be
reduced through creative engagement with organizations. In relation to water, citizens often do
not know their rights, what service they have or should expect and so are unable to hold
government to account for the level and quality at service provided. Evidence suggests that cross
class alliance is one way to promote this demand and accountability (especially given the public
good characteristics of water) but little work has been done in this regard.
2.3.4 Responsiveness to the Citizens and Users Water Service Needs
UN (2003 P16) present that Responsiveness refers to how leaders and public organizations take

21
account at the needs of citizens and uphold their right development at ways for people to
articulate their views and needs. Government responsiveness to citizens over water includes
articulating and moving towards rights to water, equity in the development at water services,
including-poor policy co making and implementation, and the integrity at public officials in
fulfilling their roles and responsibilities to citizens.
2.3.5 Transparent to citizens or users of Water Service Needs
The nature of becoming transparent implies giving information accesses to clients or
stakeholders using proper and clear information transforming mechanisms.
Regular reports and the accounts of a service provider provide an obvious, but valuable tool for
improving access to information, transparency, and accountability. However, many municipal
water service providers do not produce annually audited reports and accounts, even when they
are required to do so. And frequently such reports are not widely accessible to anyone other than
regulators within government.
The process of making information available to the general public, whether voluntarily or as a
result of legal obligations, is evidence of a transparent government. Informed citizens are able to
better advocate for accountability of public officials on their conduct and on decisions made on
matters affecting the public such as service delivery. In running public meetings it is important to
be clear about the issue and objective; to have a proposed agenda; to set dates well in advance,
informing key actors and ensuring their participation; to notify the public of the meeting dates
and agenda through print and electronic media, as well as through the Internet to give options for
the public to participate including by mail, fax, or e-mail in case they are unable to attend; and to
provide contacts for further information(The World Bank,2009).
Participatory methods and approaches have an entirely bad name everywhere, however. There is
a tendency to subvert participatory approaches and tools to use them like mantras or formulas to
collect information for its own sake, rather than use of the information locally to empower
communities and groups to improve their access to water. Participation does not mean just
collecting data from people and then doing a separate “expert” analysis. Equally, community
management has earned a bad name in places where communities are left on their own to run
water supply systems.
Evidence shows that communities require encouragement from local government or other
support agencies if they are going to run sustainable water supply systems (The World Bank

22
2009).
Participatory approaches can be used to improve the power of communities, or consumers, in
planning or overseeing the delivery of water services. By definition, if used properly, these
approaches improve access and encourage transparency, and they can be also very effective in
limiting opportunities for malpractices.
2.3.6 Strength and Weakness of the Framework
Although the CART framework (a DFID governance framework publish in making governance
work for the poor, 2007) is generally agreed that there are a number of generic limitations that
apply to its use both as governance analysis tool and sectors governance tool. The benefit and
limitations set out here should be reconsidered after the framework is tasted.

Limitation of the Framework

 Discussions with governance and sector colleagues pointed towards the static nature of
the framework. i.e. it enables an assessment, at what governance and where you might
want to sew but does not define the means to get there, this is certainly the case. When
applied to the governance of water services, in that it enables broad understanding of the
governance in water problem (a snap shot), but does not describe what is blocking or
divining change.
 The discussion also flagged the lack at linkages that help to describe politics and power
relations is still needed in a sector governance analysis.
 The CART framework is for a service such as water, more focused on government aspect
at governance and perhaps insufficiently focused on those that are non-state although it
may be extremely relevant in some contexts. Generally, it is more about formal systems
and thus more relevant in the analysis of effective states (although care needs to be taken
in this context as well) its utility will depend on whether it can be made more inclusive of
informal systems and non-state actors which are particularly prevalent in the water sector.
 There is overlap too-many issues should occur in each dimension of CART and may
seem poorly placed when one focuses on water service the responsiveness but could
equally be located in the accountability dimension at governance, (and many at the
supply-side anti-corruption mechanisms are related to state capability).

23
Benefits of the Framework

 The CART framework is being used in the DFID country governance assessment
(CGA) and is a country analytical tool. A sector cut using the same framework is
useful to country officials for internal coordination and developing vertical and
horizontal synergies across programs.
 The framework attempts do provide a comprehensive rather than partial analysis of
governance. In this regard it opens doors/minds to areas of governance not currently
being squeezed out by entrenched thinking in particular it frames abroad range at
governance issues in relation to citizens.
 The CART framework provides a structured approach do identifying key issues at the
country level, and is also useful in that it presents a means to identifying linkages
between the various dimensions at governance. The need to monitor governance in water
supply is also significant. The framework provides a first cut at the type at indicators that
the water sector might adopt to measure these different aspects at governance within a
governance arena, not a sector arena as has been done in the past.

CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
The research methodology employed in carrying out this study is presented in this chapter in
general. It is to assess public service delivery in the water supply service, in Belay Zeleke sub-
city in accordance with accountability, responsiveness, capability and transparency.
According to Best and Kahn (2006) research can be qualitative, if it describes events and persons
scientifically without the use of numerical data while quantitative research consist of research in
which data can be analyzed in terms of numbers. The approach, the researcher used in this study,
is qualitative research approach as it assesses the water service delivery with transparency,
capability, responsiveness and accountability dimensions. This is because qualitative research

24
approach isdirected at making careful observations and detailed documentation of a phenomenon
of interest and to describe some aspect of a phenomenon, i.e., the status of a given phenomenon.

3.1 Research design

The study employedqualitative research approach as it intends to assess public service delivery
that is somewhat empirical in nature. Moreover, tables, frequencies, pie charts, content analysis
and interview analysis are done in order to articulate the collected data and enable the researcher
to reach at enough conclusions and to give possible recommendations too. The mainscenario is
to investigate the public service delivery practices in drinking water supply of Belay Zeleke sub
city in different dimensions. The results are interpreted against the theoretical CART framework
that is Capability, Accountability, Responsiveness and Transparency of the government and non-
government organizations, in this case particularly the BSCWSS office(governmental office).

3.2 Population of the study Area

Bahir Dar is the capital city of ANRS situated at the southern part of Lake Tana. It is estimated
that the Bahirdar city population is close to 326,000(CSA, 2016). Water supply in Bahirdar city
and its surrounding areas are taking care of, mainly, by the Bahir Dar water supply and sewerage
service (BCWSS office). It is a semi- autonomous enterprise responsible body in the area of
water supply in the city (Report, 2009). The water source is from two types of sources namely
from springs and deep ground water. From the nine sub cities, there are registered customers of
the BCWSS office. Belay Zeleke sub-city is one of the sub-cities of Bahir Dar city. According to
the sub-city Administration annual report of, 2016/2017, the sub-city has total population of
42,980 and a total household size of 6,520 that consists three (3) kebeles such as Kebele 07,
Hagereselamkebele and Bisrat kebele. According to the sub city administration, each kebele
consist sub units called “Zones” commonly known as ketena. Therefore, the sub city has three
kebeles and 8 zones .i.e. 07 kebele has three zones, Hagereselamkebele has three zones and
Bisratkebele has twoseparate zones.

3.3 Sampling Frame

This is an accessible section of the target population (usually a list with contact information)
from where a sample can be drawn. According to the sub city administration annual report of,
2016/2017, the current total population of the sub city is 42,980. The number of households
found in the sub city is 6,520 and are formal customers of the BCWSS office. These households

25
have acontact with the officethrough BZSCOWSS and that is why the researcher selects such
group as a target population for the survey conducted in the sub city entitled with public service
delivery in the water supply sector in Bahir Dar city: case of Belay Zeleke sub city. Among such
6,520 households, 2,025 households are taken as a sampled household. According to the sub city
administration, each kebele is divided in sub units called “Zones”. Therefore the sub city has
three kebeles and 8 zones. i.e. 07 kebele has 3 zones, Hagereselamkebele has3 zones and
Bisratkebele has 2 zones. Thus, the researcher randomly selects one zone as a sampled zone from
each kebele.
From kebele 07 –“B” zone with household number =820
From Hagereselamkebele –“E” zone with household number=710
From Bisrat –“H” zone with household number=495
Then by using the following formula, the researcher determines the number of sampled
households in each sampled zone as follows.
Ns = n/Nt (Nh)
Where,
 n -is the sample size,
 Nt -is the total number of households in each sampled zones
 Nh-is the total number of households in a sampled zone and
 Ns - is the number of sampled households in each sampled zone.
Ns=153/2,025*820 =62households in kebele 07, 153/2025*710=54 households in
Hagereselamkebele and 153/2025*495=37 in Bisratkebele of their sum become 153 in general.
Based on this, the researcher randomly selects such households from the list of each zone and
contacts them through door-to-doorcampaign depending on the lists of each zone find in the sub
- city administration office.

3.4 Sampling Techniques and Sample Size

The researcher selected Belay Zeleke sub city, as it is located near to the researcher to find every
piece of required data timely since the delivery of water supply service to all sub cities is similar
in the city and similar in each kebeles in the sub city as well.
According to Belay Zeleke sub city Administration annual report (2016/2017), the administrative
territory of the sub city is divided into eight lowest administrative units called “zones” find in
each of the three kebeles as aforementioned in the sampling frame. These sub divisions are with

26
different population size and density. The researcher uses the formula that is developed by
Yamane (1967:886), to determine the sample size for the study as follows.
n=N/ (1+N (e) 2).
=6,520/ (1+6,520(0.08) 2
=152.59 ≈153
Where;
 n is sample size.
 N is total number of households.
 E is margin of error.
Furthermore, in the determination of the confidence level the open-ended questions find in the
questionnaires had gave high freedom to respondents. As long as there is no differences like
number of population, density and others that are directly related with water distribution and
have an effect on water supply service among households in each kebeles, the investigator
decided to incorporate all administrative units or kebeles find in the sub city. Thus, the
researcher employed simple random sampling technique to select the one “Zones” (sampled
zones) from each kebele to represent their respective kebele as follows.

Table 1: The number of kebeles, zones, sampled zones, and households respectively

No. of zones Sampled No. of No. of sampled No. of

No Kebeles in each zone households households questioners to
kebele be distributed
1 07 3=A,B,C B 820 62 62
2 Hagereselam 3=D,E,F E 710 54 54
3 Bisrat 2=G,H H 495 37 37
Total 8 3 2,025 153 153
As it is indicated in the above table, 153 sampled households are taken from the three kebeles or
zones for the study. As a result, 153 questionnaires are distributed to those sampled respondents
and all are returned because the researcher has made continuous follow-ups downs to distribute
as well as to collect the questionnaires. Moreover, the data from the household survey is
supplemented with in-depth interview from Water Supply Service officials of the sub city as it is
presented below.

27
Table 2: Position of officials who are interviewed in the study
No Offices Position
1 BCWSS office Manager
2 BCWSS office Public relation
3 BCWSS office Case team leader of production and
distribution
4 BCWSS office Budget and finance team leader

BZSCOWSSoffice and the sub City’s Manager and officer respectively

5
industry and ketemalimatoffice.

6 BCWSS office Planning and budget coordinator

7 Community forums in the sub city Community forum leaders

Here, purposive sampling technique is employed to select the sample respondents from the
offices to get the require information from the interviewees. Because these officials are not only
assumed as wholly informedbut also familiar and responsible with the fundamental issues
concerning the water supply service in the sub city.

3.5 Source of Data

The source of data are both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources are
questionnaires and key informant interview in which the questioners are made to the respondents
who are living in the sub city and the key informant interview are made to those water supply
service and sewerage office officials and to some extent the sub city administrative officials. The
secondary sources of data aremainly internet and both published as well as unpublished
documents, reports and brochures of the BCWSS office.

3.6 Data Collection Method

As the research employee qualitative research approach, primary data are collected through key
informant interviews and questionnaires. The researcher uses questionnaire to gather information
from formally registered customers or households in the sub city and key informant interviews to
gather information from those respondents who have complete or better information about how
the service is delivered (stakeholders include the sub city administration officials and community
forum leaders , the concerned officials of the BCWSS office).

28
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
The data analysis technique that the researcher employed isdescriptive statistics or those simple
statistical tools. Then, descriptive statistics such as percentage and frequency distributions are
used to analyze data obtained through closed ended interviews and questionnaires regarding
public service delivery. Moreover, open-ended questionnaires and interviews are analyzed and
interpreted to reach at more perfect summarization and conclusion to be enabled to give possible
recommendation.In other words, data that are qualitative in nature are described, classified and
conceptualizedas they are interconnected with one another.

CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
In this chapter, the researcher presented, analyzed and interpreted based on the collected data
through field survey, key informant interview and content review, 153 questionnaires were
distributed to Bahir Dar city Belay Zeleke Sub city water and sewerage Service officeclients and all
questionnaires were filled and returned properly. For the purpose of detailed analysis this chapter
is structured into three sections. The first section deals with the presentation and analysis of the
demographic distribution of respondents. Whilein the second section, non-demographic
questions are presented and analyzed based on descriptive statistics techniques like frequencies
and percentages were presented, in the third section the tabulation analysis was conducted.
Finally, the interview analysis was presented.

4.1Demographic Distribution of Respondents

In this section the demographic profiles of the respondents were presented and analyzed under
the dimensions of sex, age, educational level and occupation by using frequencies and
percentage.
Table: 3 Characteristics of Sampled Respondents

Variable Options Frequency Percentages

29
Gender Male 32 20.92
Female 121 79.08
Total 153 100
Age Below 29 26 16.99
30-65 113 73.86
Above 65 14 9.15
Total 153 100
Education level Below Grade 4 45 29.41
From Grade 4-12 61 39.87
Diploma 28 18.30
Degree and above 19 12.42
Total 153 100
Occupation Salaried 22 14.38
Self-employed 121 79.09
Retired 6 3.92
Other 4 2.61
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

Table 3 reveals that majority of the respondents 121(79.08%) were female; and 20.92% of the
respondents were men. As also depict in table 3 the majority group of respondents were aged
30-69 which represents70 (46.7%) of the total respondents. Respondents with aged group 36-50
account 113(73.86%) and less than 30 years count 26(16.99%), the rest 14(9.15%) of the
respondents are aged above 65 years respectively. From the above table we can also see that
45(29.41%) respondents were able to access first cycle school, 61(39.87%) respondents
attended second cycle elementary and high school. Whiles,28(18.30%) respondents are diploma
holders the remaining 19(12.42%)respondents were degree holders and above.
When looking at the occupation dimensions of the respondents, the dominant group from the
sample is the self-employed one;121(79.09%) respondents. Whereas 22(14.38%) respondents
are salaried, 6(3.92%) respondents were retired and the rest 4(2.61%) of the respondents rested
in the othercategory.

30
4.2 Descriptive Statistics Analysis

Table: 4 Respondents Perceptions towards Water Service Delivery

Item Number and percentages ofrespondents

BCWSS provide sufficient Response Frequency Percentages
Information about water Agree 9 5.88
service delivery. Neutral 11 7.19
Disagree 133 86.93
Total 153 100
Financial information 2 22.22
If you agree on the above Water supply deliveryinformation 2 22.22
statement, BCWSS provide Newly establishedProjects water 0 0
clear information only All 5 55.56
about... Any other 0 0
Total 9 100
In which way the clients get Through media 5 3.27
information Through Conference and 27 17.65
about water service from the Pamphlets or brochures
BCWSS? Through the first two 118 77.12
Through internet (social media) 0 0
Any other 3 1.97
Total 153 100

Source:Questionnaire (2018)

As presented in table 4, majority of respondents133(86.93) were disagreed to the statement

“BCWSSprovide sufficient information about water service delivery”. While 9(5.88%)
respondents were found to be positive for the above statement, 11(7.19%) of them prefer to be
neutral. From the data we can infer that Bahir Dar City Office of Water and Sewerage Service
provides less information about waterservice delivery to the its customers.
Given its limitations, the nature of information provided are grouped under, as per table 4,
financial information and water supply delivery information 2(22.22%) each and together they
constitute 55.56%. No one responded that have been informed about new projects.
For the question asked as “In which way the clients getinformationabout water service from the
BCWSS?”, few 5(3.27%) has responded only through media and 27 (17.65%) marked only
through conference, pamphlets/brochures, whereas, majority of them 118(77.12) responded as
they got information both through media and conferences conducted and pamphlets
obtainedfrom the sub city. And none of the respondents got information over the internet related

31
means of communications.
By analyzing table 5, given above, we can see that the office was unable to communicate its
performance and service using favorable modality of information transfer to its clients properly;
because of lack of curiosity in selecting appropriate media of communication, and inclusiveness
with respect to information contents. This created information asymmetry between the office and
its clients. It is obvious that uninformed client is the crippled one to fully engage and hold trust
on government service delivery system.

Table: 5 Source of drinking Water in Belay Zeleke Sub city

Types of source Frequency Percentage

Taps in inside house 110 71.9
Vendor taps 2 1.3
From the first two 41 26.8
Any other 0 0
From public (bono) 0 0
Total 153 100
Source:Questionnaire (2018)

As can be seen in the above table most of the residents in Belay Zeleke sub city are dependent on
government services mainly taps inside the house. Whilst 110(79.1%) of the respondents
obtained running water from public tabs inside the house and only 2(1.3%) were using water
from vendor tabs, 41(26.8%) of them use both of the predecessor as a source of water. And
neither public bono nor any other means were used as a source of water in Belay Zelekesub city.
Hence, a failure to sent through the water while the public has no other option than waiting,
makes the system of water system governance meager.

4.3 Availability of water in the study area

Table: 6 Availability of drinking water in Belay Zeleke Sub city

Item Frequency percentage

All the day 6 3.92
Once a day 61 39.87

32
 Twice a week 53 34.64
One a week 33 21.57
Any other 0 0
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

As depicted in table 5, among all the total sample households, 61(39.87%) respondents agreed
that they obtain drinking water once in a day. Even though 6(3.92) respondents claim water is
available 24/7, the second majority group of the respondents 53(34.64%) only get water twice a
week and 33(21.57%) responded just once in a week. This is contrary to the conventional
understanding of water accessibility expected to avail98% of the week. This indicates that the
availability of water is in dire condition with no doubt about to lead to greater dissatisfaction in
the study area.

4.4Respondents satisfaction in water service delivery

Table 7: Respondents’ satisfaction towards water service supply
Item Frequency Percentage
Highly satisfied 0 0
Satisfied 34 22.22
Neutral 11 7.19
Dissatisfied 21 13.73
Highly dissatisfied 87 56.86
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

As can be seen in the table 6 above, majority of the respondents 87(56.86%) are highly
dissatisfied and 21(13.73) of them are dissatisfied. While 34(22.22%) claimed to be satisfied,
11(7.19) remain indifferent. And none responded highly satisfied. This in turn affirm the
prevalence of typical distorted water service delivery in Belay Zeleke sub city.

4.5. Respondents opinions towards Water governance system in Belay

Zeleke sub-city
In this section the assessment of water service delivery in terms of the dimensions of good
governance; government capacity, accountability, transparency and responsiveness has been
conducted. The data obtained from the five-point Likert responses of respondents areanalyzed
using narration.

Table 8: Government`s Capacity

Item Number and percentages ofrespondents

33
 Response Frequency Percentages

BCWSS have a capacity to Strongly Agree 0 0

afford adequate drinking Agree 41 26.8
water to the public. Neutral 21 13.73
Disagree 88 57.51
Strongly disagree 3 1.96
Total 153 100
Strongly Agree 6 3.92
I get adequate amount of Agree 43 28.10
drinking water service for 24 Neutral 0 0
hours. Disagree 9 5.88
Strongly disagree 95 62.09
Total 153 100
The officials have Strongly Agree 0 0
appropriate knowledge and Agree 51 33.32
skill to serve the people. Neutral 7 4.58
Disagree 74 48.37
Strongly disagree 21 13.73
Total 153 100
I believe that the office Strongly Agree 0 0
doesn’t provide sufficient Agree 71 46.41
working materials to its Neutral 48 31.37
workers. Disagree 34 22.22
Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 153 100

Source: Questionnaire (2018)

In the table above, government capability is assessed in the eyes of its customers.It is found that
88(57.51%) respondents disagreed for the statement, “BCWSS have a capacity to afford
adequate drinking water to the public.” And3(1.96%) of respondents weredisagreed.For the
same statement, while 41(26.8%) of the respondents were positive, 21(13.37%) respondents
were found to be neutral to government`s capacity of drinking water provision.Majority of the
respondents 95(62.09%) strongly disagreed for the statement “I get adequate amount of
drinking water service for 24 hours.”, whereas 43(28.1%) disagreed to this statement. This
obviously asserts majority of the households must have to wait more than a day for a running
water.
Regarding technical capacity of employees of the office, 74(48.37) of the respondents disagreed
and 21(13.73%) strongly disagreed for the statement “The officials have appropriate knowledge
and skill to serve the people.”, while 51(33.315) agreed for employees to have appropriate

34
knowledge and skills. From this we can infer that the office is believed to have limited capacity
on technical and knowhow spectrum.
Moreover, considerable number of respondents 71(46.41%) believe that the office may not
provide necessary working materials to its employees. While 48(31.37) prefer to be neutral to
comment on this issue, 34(22.225%) are positive for material capacity of the institution. The
side of first two consecutive respondents support the argument that the office is materially
incapable. Hence, it can be summarized in general that the institutional capacity of the office is
perceived to be weak so as to respond the demands of its customers.
From the source found in the office of BCWSS, average daily production capacity, that is
channeled for the respective sub city, for the year 217/18 is 1,206.916m 3/yr and average
supply, however, for the sub city is found to be 603,458m 3/yr. Average demand of the current
year (2017) 766,500m3/year. Here we get an imbalance of 163,042m3/yr. This is an apparent
capacity limitation found in the office(BCWSS, 2018). The capacity limitation includes the
efficiency problems too; there are higher leakage problem i.e., the produced couldn’t be
supplied.

Table 9: Respondents perception toward governments accountability

Item Number and percentages ofrespondents
Response Frequency Percentages
I don’t be live that BCWSS Strongly Agree 9 5.88
officials are accountable to Agree 129 84.31
their actions. Neutral 11 7.2
Disagree 4 2.61
Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 153 100
Strongly Agree 0 0
I don’t think that BCWSS Agree 41 26.8
office sets the accountability Neutral 31 20.26
procedures or principles to Disagree 67 43.79
its employees clearly. Strongly disagree 14 9.15
Total 153 100
The office accepts and tries Strongly Agree 0 0
to implement new reforms in Agree 16 10.46
different times that helps to Neutral 34 22.22
strength the practice of Disagree 91 59.48
accountabilitylike BPR Strongly disagree 12 7.84
Total 153 100
The officials don’t worry Strongly Agree 15 9.8
about their accountability Agree 128 83.67

35
 because they assume that the Neutral 9 5.88
people have no information Disagree 1 0.65
or knowhow about Strongly disagree 0 0
accountability. Total 153 100
The office knows that the Strongly Agree 0 0
People ask about the Agree 61 39.87
services they get and they Neutral 9 5.88
can make the office Disagree 81 52.94
accountable to its actions. Strongly disagree 2 1.31
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

Respondents were asked for their perception about the level of accountability prevalent in the
office. For the statement “I don’t be live that BCWSS officials are accountable to their actions.”,
Most 129(84.31%) of the respondents agreed and only 4(2.61%) found positive. And none of the
respondents strongly agreed on this comment keeping 11(7.2%) remained neutral. Considerable
number of respondents doubted 41(26.8%) that BCWSS sets the accountability procedures or
principles to its employees clearly. Whereas 67(43.79%) aligned to the opposite; disagreed,
31(20.26) of them remain neutral.
Regarding the office`s effort to accept and implement change reforms like BPR considerable
number of respondents 34(22.22%) liked to remain neutral, while majority of them 91(59.48%)
disagreed to the positive statement provided to them. However, secondary data found in the
office showed that the office has been using BPR and BSC as a means of planning and
implementation of tasks in the way that can support accountability (BCWSS,2018).
For the statement “The officials don’t worry about their accountability because they assume
that the people have no information or knowhow about accountability.”, majority of them
128(83.67%) responded “Agreed”. While the remaining majority 15(9.9%) strongly support the
statement only, 9 responded “neural”.
In checking officials sense of accountability awareness, majority 81(52.94%) found to be
negative and considerable number of them 61(39.87%) express their agreement on the
knowledge of officials of their accountability to the people. Based on the respondents’ view, the
office is not accountable to its clients for its services. Enabling environments for accountability
such as change tools, designed procedures and performance measurement as well as compliant
handling systems were not effective so as to improve and maintain accountable office for better
service delivery.

36
Table 10: Respondents perception towards government responsiveness
Item Number and percentages ofrespondents
Response Frequency Percentages
BCWSS officials are Strongly Agree 0 0
empatheticto the public Agree 17 11.11
request. Neutral 3 1.97
Disagree 112 73.2
Strongly disagree 21 13.73
Total 153 100
Strongly Agree 0 0
When the BCWSS officials Agree 2 1.31
deliver water services to Neutral 4 2.61
their clients, they act Disagree 121 79.08
ethically and quickly. Strongly disagree 26 17
Total 153 100
When somebody wants to Strongly Agree 15 9.8
get water service from the Agree 133 86.93
office, it is a common Neutral 0 0
practice to come and back so Disagree 5 3.27
many times. Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

Given responsiveness is how far the office is reactive to the demands of the community in the
water services, the data gathered from BCWSS shows 112(73.2%) of the respondents hold
officials are apathetic to meet public requests. Only 17(11.11%) of the respondents are positive
toward officials’ responsiveness statement. The remaining respondents21(13.73), except neutral
ones who are insignificant, are disappointed with the responsiveness of the officials.
Responsiveness is obviously supposed to be accompanied by ethics and timely service.
However, the result in table 11 shows the contrary in BCWSS. For the statement that
reads“When the BCWSS officials deliver water services to their clients, they act ethically and
quickly.”, 121(79.08%) respondents disagreed and 26(17%) of them strongly disagreed.
Regarding the nature of bureaucratic red tape, 133(86.93%) agreed the presence and off the
remaining 20 respondents 15(9.8%) confirmed with strong agreement. It is possible, therefore,
to conclude that the office is less responsive to its clients and intensify dissatisfaction thereon.
Irresponsive system of service delivery facilitates the incidence of corruption and that highly
hampers effective service provision; specially when it comes to a daily basic need like water in
addition to its effect on community health.

37
Table: 11 Respondents perception toward government transparency
Item Number and percentages ofrespondents
Response Frequency Percentages
The BCWSS officials are Strongly Agree 0 0
transparent to the people Agree 26 16.99
about how they deliver the Neutral 23 15.03
water service. Disagree 91 59.48
Strongly disagree 13 8.49
Total 153 100
Strongly Agree 21 13.73
I know that customers are Agree 92 60.13
not clear about which Neutral 18 11.76
activities are undertaken by Disagree 22 14.38
whom in the office. Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 153 100
The office uses appropriate Strongly Agree 0 0
ways of information transfer Agree 33 21.57
tools for its clients. Neutral 11 7.19
Disagree 89 58.17
Strongly disagree 20 13.07
Total 153 100
The office worries about Strongly Agree 31 20.26
only the information rather Agree 99 64.70
than the ways of transferring Neutral 3 1.97
tool. Disagree 20 13.07
Strongly disagree 0 0
Total 153 100
I get more of the in Strongly Agree 8 5.23
formations about the service Agree 79 51.63
through my own effort. Neutral 0 0
Disagree 61 39.87
Strongly disagree 5 3.27
Total 153 100
Source: Questionnaire (2018)

The notion of transparency is associated with openness and timely disclosure of government
actions and plans to the people in the way that can fully engage the community and facilitate to
promote other dimensions of the model. Table 12 of the study, however, shows, the otherwise.
For the statement “The BCWSS officials are transparent to the people about how they deliver
the water service.”, 91(59.48%) of the respondents disagreed to the statement and strengthen by
13(8.49%) with strong disagreement. While 23(15.3%) were indifferent to the statement
26(16.99%) found to be positive about it. Majority of the respondents 92(60.13%) and

38
21(13.73%) agreed and strongly agreed respectively in response to whether they are aware of
which activities are the responsibilities of which business process or offices. Only 22(14.38%)
were positive and 18(11.78%) stayed indifferent. Regarding appropriateness of information
transfer mechanisms 89(58.17%), disagreed and 20(13.07%) strongly disagreed for the office
used appropriate tools of information transfer. 33(21.57) were positive for BCWSS used
favorable media for its customers. Moreover, many of the respondents 99(64.70%) and
31(20.26) believed that officials are much concerned about whether the information is aired in
any way, not whether the tools are appropriate. Yet, 20(13.07%) are positive about officials’
curiosity in selecting information transferring medias. Despite the office`s effort to transfer
information, 79(51.63%) of the respondents obtain information by their own; however,
61(39.87%) of them just wait for any information from the government.
To conclude, transparency is the center of effective governance serving as a basis for the other
three dimensions of the model; accountability, responsiveness and capacity. Only an informed
client tempted to challenge the service provider fully. The result from the survey, however,
rests on the negation of the mainstream premises. It is neither institutionally nor procedurally
found to be transparent. It is when the public is informed that can help to create effective PPPs
which couldn`t happen in BCWSS based on the data surveyed. This trigger strong doubt on the
office`s ability to effectively deliver the water service it deemed to achieve.

4.6 Interview Analysis

For further triangulating the views from clients, interview had been conducted with officials in
BCWSS, Belay Zeleke Sub city and community forum leader. The data obtained from the
interview is presented and analyzed using the theoretical framework as follows.

With regards to capacity,BCWSS office manager, Fiseha Abebe (April, 2018), stated that, the
only state actor that provides water service to the sub city is Bahir Dar city water and sewerage
service office. Since the authority is the only actor in the provision process, it is unable to satisfy
the public request fully. According to Alemu Yenesew (2018), planning and budget coordinator
at BCWSS, the office is overburdened for unmonitored waste disposal, water pollution,
unplanned land use, and most importantly, the rapid urbanization which leads the imbalance
between demand of water and supply provided. In the midst of these problems, Berihun almaw
(April, 2018), the public relation officer of BCWSS, the office has annual target to expand its
customer base.

39
From institutional point of view;the officials stated that the main problems with regards to water
service provision in their sub city are mostly capacity related problems and dependency
problems. Dependency problem implies the nature of water service practiced by different
stakeholders like water works and construction, Ethiopian Electric Corporation, therefore water
problem is a multi-dimensional issue (Addisu Shumegnaw, Officer Industry and Urban
Development of BZSC).
Accountability related problems arelack of clear job demarcations, the problem of internalizing
the concept of accountability by the employees, lack of institutions that encourage
accountability, and poor understanding of the people about accountability procedures and
techniques (Interview with Fiseha manager, BCWSS and YechaleMelese, Community Forum
leader, 2018).Mr. Fiseha raised the participation of the community through the forum leader is
one way of the means to promote social accountability problems.
The office at the sub city level is not supported and mandated to plan and execute or initiate it
own plan by itself. The relationship between the BCWSS and the sub city administration is not
strong and created accountability problems.
Turning to responsiveness,the officials in the office claimed for using appropriate grievance
handling procedure and are trying to be responsive. Abrham Molalign, Manager of BZSCOWSS,
stated that among the sources of clients` complaint power interruptions, old pipes and valves,
knowledge and skill gap of the employees are the major ones. However, responding to the
community demand is challenging because of financial and technical problems. Mr. Yechale,
community forum leader, added “the problem is not only financial. We pay for what we asked.
There are ethical and attitudinal problems both at the sub city and BCWSS.” He further added “It
took considerable part of our working time to get a service, like maintenance.”Contrary to
facilitating interrupted meeting with the community, the forum leader claims, “our ideas were
less considered” and make them powerless.
In light of transparency,BCWSS officials stated that even if the duties and rights are mostly
explained by the sub city administration office, the authority provide information through the
community forum leaders regarding the overall water service. In addition to community forum
leaders, the office provides information through brushers, notice boards, pamphlets and through
Medias (Interview with Berihun almaw,2018).Mr. Fiseha (Manager BCWSS,2018) added, the
participation of its clients is assured by using the community forum leaders and the forums

40
themselves, using the sub city’s administrative officials and finally, using the community leaders
in different occasions.
At the end of 1990s, BCWSS office initiates partial communication with community about water
service delivery to strength the power of the citizen’s voice through participation and in turn the
citizens are becoming the owner of decisions. The first community forum was established at the
end of 2000 with a total of 100 members stand for all Bahir Dar city inhabitants. The new
community forums reestablished with more than one hundred members of each branch office of
the authority, the new customer forum’s arrangement was like the previous forums but it has sub-
branches in each branch offices which is derived from civil society, idir and from the BCWSS
employees (Interview with Fiseha and Yechale, BCWSS manager and Community forum leader
respectively, 2018).
Based on the data obtained from interview as presented above we can conclude that water
service delivery in Belay Zeleke Sub city is unsatisfactory. First, there is lack of integrity
between stakeholder like, respective government offices and community. There found no strong
relationship between them which creates a loophole for accountability problems. The capacity
problem undoubtedly shared by the office for manpower, fiscal and technical aspects. However,
creating an enabling environment like reconsidering organizational arrangement was unseen.
There are efficiency problems as not only production capacity but also distribution capacity of
the office is limited. There also luck initiating projects that can use societal capacity both in
finance and technique. Projects foreseeing the growth of the city, so do the rising water demand,
is a measure of an effective institutional capacity, which BCWSS failed to show.
According to the data public accountability is low. Accountability mechanisms through
government organs and legislators and administrative supervision didn’t support the office to
improve its service provision. Change tools developed to promote efficiency and effectiveness of
the office failed to address community demand. Social accountability is at infantry stage. It is
one good thing to initiate the establishment of the public forum but need to empower them in
decision making.
There observed work discipline issues in the water service delivery system, despite the officials
claim. The bureaucratic nature of employees is among sources of dissatisfaction in the service
provision. The Ethiopian water resource management policy states, to enhance readiness to pay
and ensure transparency in the water service user and communities are required to participate in

41
the governance system (Bereket, 2006). However, BCWSS office was not successful to meet this
policy direction. Participation of the community is not strong up to including them from planning
to implementation evaluation. He office also failed to use effective communication methods then
to do it because it is organizational trend.
To summarize, based on the officials interviewed, with relative difference, there are many
obstacles that face the offices particularly the obstacles related with accountability,
responsibility, transparency and capacity related difficulties.

42
 CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary of Major Findings

It is evidenced that the water service delivery of BZSCOWSS in light of capability,

accountability, responsiveness, and transparency was ineffective. Given the only provider of the
water and sewerage service is government, the governance of the system is expected to face a
number of challenges. With regards to capacity, it is found that the office is in poor condition to
satisfy the demand of the community due to material, manpower and related institutional
problems. There is greater imbalance between the water demanded and supplied making the
service dire even by national standard.

Both public and social accountability found to be in poor conditions. Change tools like BPR and
BSC impacted less to the overall process, hence were not able to facilitate accountability in the
service. The community trust on the office`s accountability of actions eroded overtime
aggravated by employees, officials and the unsatisfactory performance. Red tapesm was an
identification of customer service of the office. Responsiveness, therefore, of the office is again
in poor status coupled with distorted employee ethics and customer treatment.

Transparency throughout planning, implementing and evaluation of performances was not

enabled. Despite officials claim of transparent system of service delivery, taking public forum
establishments and application of different public disclosure in to account, clients couldn’t sense
the benefit of these efforts. This shows the existence of information asymmetry between the
service provider and recipient; one of the indicators of lack of transparency.

5.2 CONCLUSION
Access for potable water is one of basic need and undisputable right for every individual. The
provision of this service whether by government organization or non- governmental

43
organizations, the providing entity is expected to equipped itself with necessary institutional and
human capacity. The governance of water service delivery is not a task to be scoped in annual
time frame so as balanced supply and demand, rather a generation long work with sustainable
backup for uninterrupted and agile service. Capacity without accountability and accountability
without responsiveness and transparency led the office to demise.

BZSCOWSS was ineffective to satisfy the needs of its clients/residents. Capacity limitations,
weak accountability system and practice, less responsive and agile structure with apathetic
employees and finally a service with information asymmetry found to define the water service
delivery of the office.

5.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations forwarded based on the assessment result so that the water
service in general and BZSCOWSS in specific can improve as par satisfying users.

o The office shall incapacitate itself with finance for new projects, trained man power,
enabling institutional arrangements and regulations,
o Long term projects that can sustainably address the water demand of the community shall
be initiated.
o Revising, adopting and effectively implementing business reforms in the way that can
promote the practice of accountability and improved customer service is recommended,
o Effective means of stakeholder participation, specially customers, need to be devised
coupled with developing receptive and cooperative culture of the office with stake holders.
o Reviewing and improving the information flow from the office to service users and vise-
versa has of a paramount importance for customer satisfaction. Considering the next
generation of users, the internet as media of communication shall be developed for ease
access of service request.

Bibliography
1. Bahir Dar city Water Supply and Service delivery office (2017/18).
2. Batley, R. (2006). Cross-Service Findings on Government Relations with Non-
state Service Providers in Public Development: 26, 241– 251.

44
3. Belay Zeleke sub city water and sewerage service office (2017/18).
4. Birner, R. (2007). Improving Governance to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty.
2020.
5. Bovaird, T. 2007. “Beyond potion: User Engagement and Community
Coproduction of Public Services. Public Administration Review 67 (5): 846–
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G(2003). Overcoming constraints to the implementation of water demand
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15.Research inspired policy and practice learning (RIPPLE), (2008), Governance
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Appendix
Questionnaires
This questionnaire is prepared to collect data about water service delivery in Belay Zeleke Sub
City. The data collected is confidential and will only be used for Analysis of the study and not
for any other purpose. This questionnaire consists of two sections; the first section consists

46
question regarding demographic information while the second section consist of question about
customer general opinion of water service delivery. To write down your name is not necessary,
make cross (×) mark for your choice. Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Section I: Demographic information

1. Gender

Male Female

2. Age in years

Under 29 30-65 Over 65

3. Educational level

From grade 1-12 certificate diplomas Degree and above

4. Occupation

Salaried self-employed retired other

Section II: customers’ general opinion about water service delivery in the Sub-city.

1. BCWSS provides sufficient information about water distribution in your sub-city?

Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

2. If you agree on the above question in which department are clearly provide the information?

Financial information about revenue and expense of the authority

Water Delivery information of the city

About newly established water project in the city others

3. If you have information about water supply delivery in your sub city, in which way you get the
information? (more than one choice is possible)

Through media Through conference proceeding

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 Through BCWSS pamphlets or brochures Through Internet/Social media

Any other

4. What are the main sources of drinking water in your area?

Public taps (Bono) Taps inside house/compound

Vendor/kiosk Any other (Rain, river etc)(specify)………

5. How frequently you get water in your sub-city?

The whole day Once a day

Twice a week Once a week Any other(specify)………

6. How much are you satisfied with the current water service delivery process in your area?

Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral

Dissatisfied Highly dissatisfied

If your answer is neutral for the question no. 6 above, what makes you to say
that..............................................................................................................................?

7. Thick (×) mark in your appropriate choice

Item Strongly agree Neither agree Disagree Strongly

Agree nor disagree Disagree
Capability
1. BCWSS have a capacity to
afford adequate drinking water
to the public.
2. I get adequate amount of
drinking water service in 24
hours.
3. The officials have
appropriate knowledge and skill
to serve the people.

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4. I believe that the office
doesn’t provide sufficient
working materials to its
workers.
Accountability
1. I don’t be live that BCWSS
officials are accountable to their
actions.
2. I don’t think that the BCWSS
office sets the accountability
procedures or principles to its
employees clearly.
3. The office accepts and tries
to implement new reforms in
different times that helps to
strength the practice of
accountability, like BPR
4. The officials don’t worry
about their accountability
because they assume that the
people have no information or
knowhow about accountability.
5. The office knows that the
People ask about the services
they get and they can make the
office accountable to its actions.
Responsibility
1. BCWSS officials are
responsive or they are feeling
the feelings of the public.
2. When the BCWSS officials
deliver water services to their
clients, they act ethically and
quickly.
3. When somebody wants to get
water service from the office, it
is a common practice to come
and back so many times.
Transparency
1. The BCWSS officials are

49
 transparent/are clear to the
people about how they deliver
the water service.
2. I know that customers are not
clear about which activities are
undertaken by whom in the
office.
3. The office uses appropriate
ways of information transfer
tools for its clients.
4. The office worries about only
the information rather than the
ways of transferring tool.
5. I get more of the in
formations about the service
through my own effort.

Interview Questions for BCWSS government officials

The main purpose of this Interview is to gather information or data on water supply service
delivery in Bahir Dar city particularly in Belay Zeleke sub city for the partial fulfillment of
master’s degree in Public management and Governance. Dear respondents, the information you
will provide is very important for successful accomplishment of this research. Furthermore, the
information you give will be used for only the academic research. Therefore, you are kindly
requested to answer all the questions without any hesitation.

1. How are you going to run the water service delivery process in the sub city?
2. How does Bahir Dar City water and Sewerage Service make its customers aware of their
right and duties and how they can practice regarding to water service delivery?
3. How you are handling customer complaints regarding to water service delivery?
4. What are the major obstacles in the Belay Zeleke sub-city in particular and in the city in
general regarding water service delivery related with the following variables?
A. accountability
B. capability /ability/of the office and of the employees

50
 C. responsibility
D. transparency
5. Are there any forums in the sub-city that you can work with regards to your water service
delivery?
a. If your answer to the above question no.5 is “yes”, how many members are involved
in Belay Zeleke sub-city forum?
b. How do you are working with community leaders and or the society?

6. How successful you are in the provision of accountable, transparent and responsible water
service to your clients in the sub city?

7. Do you believe the process that you follow to provide water service is accountable, capable
transparent and responsive? If so do you think that the customers are satisfied, how?

8. Do you believe the demand of water service and the amount currently produced is
proportional? If not how is the treatment?

Interview questions for Belay Zeleke sub city Administration officials

The main purpose of this Interview is to gather information or data on water supply service
delivery in Bahir Dar city particularly in Belay Zeleke sub city for the partial fulfillment of
master’s degree in Public management and Governance. Dear respondents, the information you
will provide is very important for successful accomplishment of this research. Furthermore, the
information you give will be used for only the academic research. Therefore, you are kindly
requested to answer all the questions without any hesitation.

1. What is your role in the provision of drinking water supply service in the sub-city? And how is
your first treatment when the problems or any issues are raised?

2. Do you have participation in the decision-making processes practiced by the BCWSS office
regarding to the sub city’s water service provision? If yes to do what you are involving?

3. Do you believe that there is more advantage when the water service is provided by the sub city
than by the office (current provider)? If yes, what benefits will the society gain?

4. How you are closely working with the BCWSS office to solve the water service provision
challenges you face?

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5. Why the sub city couldn’t provide the water service to its people?

Interview for community forum leaders

1. Are there any agendas that you can participate with regards to your water service
delivery?
a) If your answer to the above question no. 1 is “yes”, how many are you involving in the
sub-city?
b) What is your role as a forum in the sub-city water service delivery?
c) How many times you are conducting forum meetings?
2. What are the major challenges you face in the sub-city water service delivery?
3. How do you help in addressing the customers complain in your sub-sub city?
4. Are there mechanisms you can hold the service provider accountable?

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