Water challenges of Dire Dawa city of Ethiopia: An assessment of urban growth and groundwater supply

Abstract

Urbanization in Ethiopia is increasing rapidly, leading to environmental changes and necessitating improved urban infrastructure. Dire Dawa, the second most populous city in Ethiopia, has a high rate of urban growth. This study focuses on three main areas: remote sensing analysis of urban growth, urban water supply and water distribution system, and groundwater resources management. Land use and land cover (LULC) analysis over four different time periods showed significant and rapid expansion of the city. The current and future water demand and supply analysis found that the water supply is three times less than the water demand, indicating that existing water sources are not adequate for the future expansion of the city. Moreover, the hydraulic performance of the existing distribution system as analyzed by WaterGems software found that pressure at 22.41% of nodes and velocities at 29.83% of pipes are sufficient to provide water for the study area. Finally, the study investigated the discharge and water level and water quality of each borehole in Dire Dawa City. Overall, this study showed that high urbanization rate together with the population growth has put pressure on the existing water supply source and existing water distribution system calling for feasible water management strategy for the city.