VZCZCXYZ0007
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDS #0315/01 0390843
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 080843Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9474
INFO RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 2113
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 8905
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3366
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 3085
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4169
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 3018
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6375
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7239
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2/CCJ5/CCJS//
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS ADDIS ABABA 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR A/S FRAZER, DAS AF JSWAN, AF/E, AF/PDPA, OES, 
A/S PRM SAUERBREY, AND PRM/AFR 
AFR/AA KALMQUIST, WWARREN, JBORNS, KNELSON, CTHOMPSON 
DCHA/AA MHESS, GGOTTLIEB 
DCHA/OFDA KLUU, ACONVERY, CCHAN, PMORRIS, KCHANNELL 
DCHA/FFP JDWORKEN, PMOHAN, SANTHONY, PBERTOLIN 
LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD 
USDA/FAS FOR U/S PENN, RTILSWORTH, AND LPANASUK 
NAIROBI FOR OFDA/ECARO GPLATT, RFFPO NCOX, USAID/EA 
ROME FOR AMBASSADOR, OHA, HSPANOS 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU PBROWN 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH, RMA 
USUN FOR FSHANKS 
NSC FOR PMARCHAN 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PHUM SENV EAGR PGOV ET
REF:  A) ADDIS 3644  B) ADDIS 0120 
SUBJECT: USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TEAM FIELD VISIT #3: WASH 
UPDATE 
 
 
------- 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  Between January 15 and 21, U.S. Government (USG) Humanitarian 
Assistance Team (HAT) in Ethiopia staff traveled to Gode and Korahe 
zones in Somali Region as part of a third field visit to assess the 
current humanitarian situation, including water, sanitation, and 
hygiene conditions.  The USG HAT visited communities along the 
Wabeshebele River in Kelafo District and pastoralist communities in 
Gode and Denan districts, Gode Zone, in addition to Kebridehar 
District, Korahe Zone.  USG HAT also discussed water and sanitation 
conditions with representatives of U.N. agencies and international 
and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Gode 
and Korahe zones, as well as local residents.  USG HAT staff report 
that although most ground water sources continue to provide water 
for both human and livestock consumption, the collective impact of 
the poor performance of the 2007 gu and dyer rains in parts of 
Somali Region, damaged and non-operational water sources, and the 
onset of the January to March jilal dry season indicate that chronic 
regional water shortage conditions are expected to be more severe 
than normal.  USG HAT staff anticipate the need for emergency water 
supply interventions to address deteriorating water quality and 
availability in the coming weeks.  End summary. 
 
---------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  Somali Region confronts chronic water scarcity.  The region is 
dependent on a combination of water sources, including rivers, 
boreholes, shallow hand-dug wells, and concrete-lined reservoirs 
referred to as birkeds.  Near the Wabeshabele River in Kelafo 
District, surrounding villages draw water directly from the river. 
During the January to March jilal dry season, many ground water 
sources and birkeds dry up, forcing local populations to relocate 
and congregate at remaining water sources.  In addition, water from 
both shallow wells and boreholes increases in salinity as the dry 
season progresses, rendering water non-potable in some cases. 
 
¶3.  Poor water quality and hygiene practices contribute to high 
incidences of diarrhea among children in Gode and Korahe zones. 
Health facility staff and mobile health team data from Gode and 
Korahe zones identify diarrhea as one of the top three illnesses 
among children.  Water quality is generally poor, particularly for 
populations relying on water from rivers and birkeds.  In addition, 
USG HAT staff note that access to and use of hand soap appear to be 
low based on interviews with villagers in several locations visited 
in Gode and Korahe zones. 
 
--------- 
GODE ZONE 
--------- 
 
¶4.  In Gode Zone, USG HAT staff assessed water availability in Denan 
and Gode districts.  In Denan town and the surrounding areas, USG 
HAT visited a water tankering operation run by the local NGO Ogaden 
Welfare and Development Association (OWDA) and several shallow wells 
constructed in the nearby riverbed.  The tankering project provides 
 
 
water to the district health facility, an internally displaced 
persons (IDP) camp, and schools in Denan town.  USG HAT staff note 
that riverbed wells used by Denan town residents for consumption and 
household use are shallow, unprotected, and prone to contamination. 
In addition, water levels typically decrease in February and March 
making it difficult for families to collect adequate quantities of 
water.  However, OWDA is currently constructing a pipeline from a 
borehole 12 kilometers outside of Denan to tap stands in the center 
of town that will alleviate dry season water shortages and improve 
water quality for local residents.  In addition, the pipeline will 
reduce the need for tankering services and allow tanker trucks to 
distribute water to rural communities if needed.  In outlying areas, 
the depletion of shallow wells is projected, which will lead to 
increased hardships for pastoral families and potential movement. 
 
¶5.  In Gode District, Gode Zone, USG HAT staff visited several USAID 
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA)-funded 
shallow well rehabilitation projects operated by CHF International. 
USG HAT staff note that rehabilitated wells were productive but that 
water quality varied.  Rehabilitation efforts include the deepening 
and lining of existing wells to increase production and water 
quality, in addition to the construction of livestock troughs.  USG 
HAT staff recommend well rehabilitation interventions as an 
effective strategy to improve water quality and increase water 
availability during the annual dry seasons. 
 
----------- 
KORAHE ZONE 
----------- 
 
¶6.  In El Hahd village approximately 7 kilometers (km) from 
Kebridehar town, Korahe Zone, USG HAT staff report that an influx of 
an undetermined number of displaced persons from surrounding areas 
of Korahe Zone and pastoralists from other parts of the region are 
straining available water sources.  Approximately 20 shallow, 
hand-dug wells provide water for human and livestock consumption in 
El Hahd.  Villagers and pastoralists expressed concern regarding the 
increasing salinity of wells as the dry season progresses and 
increased consumption from large congregations of livestock herds, 
potentially leading to the early depletion of wells before the onset 
of the April gu rains. 
 
--------------------------- 
POOR WATER QUALITY CONCERNS 
--------------------------- 
 
¶7.  USG HAT staff note significant concerns regarding water quality 
in Somali Region.  Although water from boreholes is considered safe 
for consumption, most families in outlying areas rely on shallow 
hand-dug wells, birkeds, or river water.  There are a small number 
of protected wells fitted with hand pumps in the area.  However, USG 
HAT staff observed that most hand-dug wells were unprotected and 
uncovered, permitting contamination of drinking water during 
collection.  Along the Wabeshabele River in Kelafo District, most 
families draw water directly from the river which is highly turbid 
and fecally contaminated.  According to local officials, the 
majority of families consume untreated water, including water 
collected from rivers and birkeds.  Boiling water requires fuel 
which is expensive, and few viable alternatives for water 
 
purification exist in the region.  Poor water quality contributes to 
high levels of waterborne diseases and an increased risk of acute 
watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreaks. 
 
¶8.  Although the current number of AWD cases in the region is low, 
USG HAT staff note that the there is a potential for an increase in 
the coming months, particularly with the onset of the rainy season 
in April.  USG HAT staff note that in the event of an AWD outbreak, 
emergency water treatment activities represent an important 
intervention to reduce transmission.  During the 2006-2007 AWD 
outbreak, humanitarian agencies implemented emergency water 
interventions in several locations of Somali Region, including the 
installation of portable water treatment units to treat river water 
and the distribution of household water disinfectants. 
 
¶9.  USG HAT staff note that the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) and 
NGOs are implementing several small-scale, household level water 
treatment interventions in Gode and Korahe zones.  In Kelafo 
District, USAID/OFDA implementing partner Adventist Development and 
Relief Agency (ADRA) is distributing Waterguard to families with 
children enrolled in its supplementary feeding program.  Waterguard 
is a weak chlorine solution used to purify drinking water.  In 
addition, USAID/OFDA-funded UNICEF mobile health teams operating in 
Gode Zone are distributing flocculent/disinfectant sachets to 
families seeking health services.  CHF International is also 
planning to distribute Waterguard in 30 villages in Kelafo District 
that predominantly rely on heavily contaminated river water for 
consumption purposes.  USG HAT staff note that although 
interventions are small in scale, interventions are reaching 
vulnerable populations representing families of ill or malnourished 
children. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
WATER SHORTAGE CONDITIONS VARY ACROSS REGION 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  Somali Region is prone to water shortages, but current water 
availability conditions vary across the region.  However, the 
current January to March dry season is expected to be more severe 
than normal, according to UNICEF.  UNICEF reports severe water 
shortages in eastern Warder Zone, resulting from the depletion of 
birkeds.  In addition, the U.N. reports that the Ethiopian National 
Defense Forces (ENDF) are restricting access to productive birkeds 
in western Warder Zone.  In several areas of Warder Zone, residents 
are already purchasing water from private water tankering 
operations.  As a result of the poor performance of the deyr rains, 
many people from Danot District, Warder Zone, have migrated to 
Korahe Zone in search of water where boreholes and shallow wells are 
still productive, according to the U.N. agencies and NGOs operating 
in the area.  However, water availability in Fik Zone is better due 
to the comparatively better performance of the 2007 rains and the 
presence of large numbers of hand-dug wells. 
 
¶11.  UNICEF reports that water tankering will be required in parts 
of Warder, Degahabur, Gode, and Korahe Zones beginning in February 
and possibly expanding to other areas in March.  Significant 
distances to water points, up to 175 km in some cases, increase the 
costs of tankering operations.  However, UNICEF reports that due to 
the severity of the water crisis in some areas, water tankering is 
 
the only viable option available. 
 
¶12.  USG HAT staff note that borehole water will become increasingly 
important in the coming weeks as other water sources are depleted, 
such as birkeds and shallow wells.  However, a number of boreholes 
in Warder and Korahe zones are either non-operational or producing 
under capacity due to damage and needed repairs.  UNICEF and Action 
Contre La Faim (ACF) have identified the rehabilitation and 
maintenance of existing boreholes in Somali Region as a top 
priority.  UNICEF reported that it is scheduled to rehabilitate 
approximately 28 boreholes in the coming weeks. 
 
---------- 
CONCLUSION 
---------- 
 
¶13.  USG HAT staff report that the current dry season is expected to 
be more severe than normal and that some parts of Somali Region are 
already facing severe water shortages.  In addition, USG HAT staff 
note that water quality in the region is generally poor, 
contributing to increased incidents of water-related diseases, 
including diarrhea among children.  USG HAT staff identify the need 
for immediate emergency water interventions, including the repair 
and maintenance of borehole wells and water tankering.  UNICEF and 
ACF have prioritized borehole repairs and maintenance to augment 
available water supplies.  In addition, UNICEF reports that 
emergency water tankering operations will be required in parts of 
Somali Region beginning in February.  With the onset of the April 
rainy season, addressing water-related disease transmission through 
additional water treatment interventions will become increasing 
important.  NGO and U.N. agencies are implementing several 
small-scale water treatment interventions in the region that can 
potentially be expanded if needs increase.  USG HAT staff will 
continue to closely monitor the water situation in Somali Region in 
the coming months leading up to the April gu rains.  In the longer 
term, USG HAT staff recommend support for hand-dug well and birked 
rehabilitation to mitigate chronic water shortages. 
 
 
 
YAMAMOTO