Abstract
The Ethiopian government has been working on rainwater harvesting (RWH) for more than three decades. Despite its efforts, the results are not as expected. Different barriers have posed challenges to promoting RWH in Ethiopia. This study was done to identify the main problems and obstacles, and reflect on potential solutions. As a result, absence of clear policy definitions, lack of sustainably implemented projects, poor societal perceptions of RWH, local professionals lacking proper knowledge, and initial investment costs are found to be major causes of poor outcomes. Considering the site-specific nature of water issues, the authors propose various management strategies such as policy-oriented promotion, formulation of design guidelines, proactive planning, collaborative research, and integration of RWH with cost covering practices.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP) (NRF-2011-0030900) and Integrated Research Institute of Construction and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University.
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Temesgen, T., Han, M., Park, H. et al. Policies and Strategies to Overcome Barriers to Rainwater Harvesting for Urban Use in Ethiopia. Water Resour Manage 30, 5205–5215 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1479-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-016-1479-3