Assessment of the perception, attitude, and practice of the local community to supplement the urban water system through rooftop rainwater harvesting in Addis Ababa

ABSTRACT Visual summary of rooftop rainwater harvesting in Addis Ababa. A mixed-methods study of 400 households shows RRWH supplies 45 L daily per household, meeting 4.47% of annual demand. Higher support exists among women, large families, and high-income groups. Key barriers include inadequate infrastructure and limited awareness. This study investigates community perceptions, attitudes, and practices regarding rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) to supplement the urban water system of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a city facing significant water challenges. The research highlights the influence of demographic factors such as family size, gender, income level, and educational attainment on community acceptance of RRWH, the current supplemented amount and advances previous work in this area. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire for quantitative data collection from a stratified random sample of 400 households, and semistructured interviews for qualitative data. Findings indicated that larger families and females exhibit greater support for RRWH, while higher income and educational levels correlate with a preference for RRWH. Despite health concerns, a substantial portion of the community recognizes the acceptability of RRWH, suggesting strong potential for adoption. However, critical barriers, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient governmental support, and a lack of awareness, hinder widespread implementation. The study estimated that RRWH could supplement approximately 45 litres per rainy day per household of the daily water demand of a household, emphasizing the importance of targeted educational campaigns and infrastructure investment to enhance RRWH adoption.