Great expectations: self-supply as a formal service delivery model for rural water in Ethiopia

This paper gives an overview of the uptake of Self-supply in Ethiopia as a formal service delivery model in rural water. The approach is expected to fill gaps left by other service delivery models including community water supply, and provides one means to help achieve universal access to safe water. Major Self-supply acceleration programmes are underway in two regions, and other regions and programmes are picking up the approach now that it is included in national policies. The expectations placed on Self-supply in these programmes are huge, and some of the targets might prove too ambitious since the implementation approach is not yet proven or tested at scale. The paper identifies key issues for further investigation, particularly the potential for cross-sectoral collaboration in the promotion of household-led investments.