For someone who resides nearby the riversides, uttering about the extent of water pollution and the gradual dwindling of water levels would not be hard. The writer of this piece lives close by one of the tributaries of the Awash River, Akaki River, and he has observed how farm practices at the Bank are challenged because of industrial and domestic wastes released recklessly to the river.
The River, without exaggeration, is polluted and its level of water is declining from time to time. In relation to this same issue, he held discussion with General Manager of Badahabo Agriculture Development Company Ahmed Mohammad in Afar State. According to Ahmed, his Company produces cotton, wheat and other cereal crops and vegetables relaying on water from Awash River.
However, currently, because the level and the quality of the water is dwindling from time to time, they are in greater trouble. Effort to curb the danger is minimal. For instance, ensuring water management efforts is not at the desired level. Likewise, various tributary rivers and lakes that have great salt concentration are mixed to the water increasing the pH level (acidic) of the water, that harming our productivity, he said.
“It is high time to conduct comprehensive water management system activities. Monitoring activities need to be integrated and improved, he opined. Awash River Basin Development Officer Yosef Abebe also said that the Awash River spreads over Afar, Oromia, among others. Awash areas suffer from serious water-related problems, including water pollution, flooding, diminishing of water level and water scarcity.
“To undo the challenge, the Basin has established over 35 water quality monitoring sites. And we are working with stakes to make sure each industries operating in the area to act accordingly.” Furthermore, to address the problems in the Awash Basin and the connected wet land ecosystem, the government has developed a strategy and is implementing an integrated approach to water and environmental management, he recommended. The Ethiopia Environmental Forest and Climate Change Commission also working to abate the danger posed in the Basin.
The writer talked to Mulubirhan Tariku, Environmental Pollution and Control Directorate Director with the Commission said that the Awash River, compared to other rivers, is the most exploited river. As various socioeconomic activities are undertaken in its courses and major tributaries by the communities as well as investors, the River has been polluted severely. Equally, the fauna and flora in the ecosystem are facing a peril. The Commission, therefore, is working with relevant stakes to safeguard the River, the environment and improves the quality of water in Awash River Basin.
“We are working to raise concerns among the communities towards the status of the River, the health and environmental hazards of the pollution. We are also performing activities to aware policy and decision makers as well as public and private industry operators to pay the needed attention and maintain a sound and healthy ecosystem.” Preparing a comprehensive guiding document and distributing to Afar, Oromiya, Addis Ababa, Awash River Basin Development Offices a number of activities are carried out to combine efforts.
Unless pertinent stakes committed to work on curbing the danger, the consequence would be intimidating not only for the water resource but also on the health of individuals and the ecosystem, she added. While elaborating the reason why the Awash River Basin has become the prime concern of the Commission, the Director said: “The Commission is working to preserve all the water bodies found in various parts of the country. However, following the socio-economic activities carried out in its basin and less regulated industrial and domestic wastes, the River is polluted severely.
Thus, it is compelled to pay special attention to the River.” The River is polluted by liquid and solid effluents released from industries and households recklessly and irresponsibly, she added. Commission Water Quality and Monitoring Expert Hundaol Gemechu for his part said that it is high time to safeguard the River and ensure its water quality.
“In my view the document developed in partnership with Center for Science and Environment based India, is phenomenal in shaping efforts one step ahead to conduct in ways to ensure water quality in the Basin. The standards and parameters of surface and ground of the Basin, ranging from biochemical oxygen demand to the content of minerals on the surface as well the ground are clearly incorporated in the document.
According to him, side by side mobilizing stakes, the efforts to ensure lasting water quality efforts should be made in all parts of the Basin offices. Awash River Basin covers a total land area of 110,000 km and serves as home to 10.5 million inhabitants. The River originates on the high plateau near Ginchi Town, West of Addis Ababa, and flows along the Rift Valley into the Afar triangle, and terminates at salty Lake Abbe on the border of Ethiopia and Djibouti, being an endorheic basin.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 27/2019
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
