The main water sources in the study sites include rivers, springs and occasional water such as floods in dry riverbeds, and natural pools and puddles of rainwater. In the rainy months, ponds and rivers assume greater importance. Peasants use water for drinking, cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning household utensils, bathing and making local drinks. Moreover, water is essential for animals and plants.
Water diversion from rivers is common in all sites. During the dry seasons peasants draw water out of a river and a spring using human and animal power so as to water their seedlings and for other purposes. They build long canals and dig ditches, which drain water from the hilly region. To divert the water from rivers to fields, they construct embankment, which is about four meters long. Each village in Uko Korke and Imala Dawe Ajo Peasants Associations has a vast network of canals. About two hundred peasants and eight hundred peasants use small-scale irrigation respectively. They water tomato, onions, potato, pepper, various types of spices, maize and other crops, which are cash crops for some peasants. Peasants in Imala Dawe Ajo have their own water committee, which rations the water and controls an abuse of water resources. Each peasant uses the water once every three-weeks. Very few peasants use irrigation in Gabisa Boji and Birbirsa Dogoma.
Peasants are well aware that intensive irrigation on one plot of land for several years can make the soil thin, dry and thereby reduce its fertility, which in turn may lead to production losses. Trees on irrigated land are liable to change their colour (Infs: Gutema Mitafa; Ragassa). Moreover, "[p]lants grown under intensive irrigation are becoming less resistant to disease and pests. The diffusion of new, genetically uniform, high-yielding plant varieties has reduced genetic diversity over large areas, and made crops more susceptible to pests and diseases" (Winpenny 1991, 30). Although traditional irrigation system is not sufficient by itself to solve the problem of the rural people, it may offer lessons for modern irrigation designers and managers. Therefore, "[t]he message for 20th century irrigation designers is clear: that for a sustainable system the community must be incorporated into construction, maintenance and operation" (Agnew and Anderson 1992, 146).
The other important indigenous water management concerns the preparation of bidiruu (cattle trough). Animals drink water from this vessel and do not go to the water source. Persons draw water from the source. This is important to protect the health of the community (Infs: Gutama Mitafa; Ragassa).
The informants reported that water has never been a serious problem in the four study sites. There are permanently flowing rivers. In fact, women and children, depending on the season and the choices they make, may travel long distances to fetch water. It is worth noting that the collection of water and gathering of firewood is assigned to women and small children. Peasants may also travel long distances in search of more convenient sources for watering their stock (Infs: Dhabassa; Duresso, Gonfa). The Oromo peasants also plant trees around rivers and springs so as to water them during the dry seasons.
Oromo pastoralists have a unique method of water management. For instance, there are three types of traditional eelaas (wells) in Borana. The deep or "Tula" well is carved out of rock and may reach over thirty meters in depth. The second eelaa is known as "Adadi" and has the depth of 10 meters or less. The third types of wells are spring fed wells and are located at the base of hill slopes or in lines up a hill slope. The Boran Oromo, their cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys and horses rely on traditional wells. They employ dug out ramps in the wells that lead down to a service area, the "dargula". Their cattle drink water from the band-built, mud trough, or "naannigas" that is different from the water source. This helps the Boran to avoid water spoilage. The water is stored in a "reservoir"--(Fatchana) by a chain of people in the shaft or "Eella". The people also fill troughs from "Fatchana". They draw the water from the bottom of traditional wells and pour it into the Naanniga by using okolees (small buckets) made from the hide of buffalo, leopard and giraffe which may contain two to seven liters, by a chain of people stationed up the Eelaa on cross timbers or rock shells, and on similar structures between the Fachana (reservoir) and the naanniga (water trough). In Borana, different grazing areas have their own wells, and traditional wells are controlled by the well elder known as "Abbaa Erega"--the father of Erega (MWR 1998).
In Oromo Gadaa system, Abbaa Malkaa or Abbaa Laga is responsible for the proper use of water. He controls the users of water. Those who contaminate the water will be punished (Infs: Asfaw, Buzayehu).
As has been stated earlier, safe water supply and sanitation are lacking in the study sites. Traditional purification techniques such as filtering with cloth, with grass and others do not avoid various diseases. These techniques should be supplemented by modern techniques.
