ODI Global
Environmental threats to Ethiopia’s water resources
Climate change threatens the availability and quality of water resources in Ethiopia, and could halve the country’s economic potential within 25 years without government action to strengthen resilience. Meanwhile pollution is already becoming a serious concern, with uncontrolled industrial development and urban expansion causing untreated wastewater to enter the rivers used for drinking water and irrigation.
In this picture, three girls are washing their clothes in the Akaki river, a tributary of the Awash River, near Addis Ababa. Much of the wastewater released by the industries and houses in Addis Ababa reaches the Awash River untreated, putting public health at risk.
Photo: Beatrice Mosello/ODI
Environmental threats to Ethiopia’s water resources
Climate change threatens the availability and quality of water resources in Ethiopia, and could halve the country’s economic potential within 25 years without government action to strengthen resilience. Meanwhile pollution is already becoming a serious concern, with uncontrolled industrial development and urban expansion causing untreated wastewater to enter the rivers used for drinking water and irrigation.
In this picture, three girls are washing their clothes in the Akaki river, a tributary of the Awash River, near Addis Ababa. Much of the wastewater released by the industries and houses in Addis Ababa reaches the Awash River untreated, putting public health at risk.
Photo: Beatrice Mosello/ODI