The costs and benefits of multiple uses of water : the case of Gorogutu woreda of East Hararghe zone, Oromiya Regional States, eastern Ethiopia

The paper discusses the importance of recognizing multiple uses of water for both domestic and productive purposes. It presents a case study comparing the costs and benefits of multiple use services with single use services, using three different scenarios. The study includes not only traditional costs like construction and operation, but also community contributions and support costs. The benefits considered include health, time saving, and irrigation. The results show that even in the worst case scenario, the benefits outweigh the costs at both household and system levels. However, the benefit/cost ratio of improved irrigation is less positive, possibly due to suboptimal improvements in the irrigation systems. Produced for the DFID funded programme Research-inspired Policy and Practice Learning in Ethiopia and the Nile region (RiPPLE).