This study assesses the urban water security of Addis Ababa and surrounding cities, within the Awash River Basin (ARB). Using the Integrated Urban Water Security Index (IUWSI) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), it combined primary data from household surveys across Addis Ababa’s 11 sub-cities with stakeholder perspectives from downstream towns (Adama, Awash, Lake Beseka) and secondary data from relevant authorities and literature. The analysis applied the framework of Drinking Water and Human well-being, Ecosystems, Climate Change and Water-Related Hazards, Socio-Economic Aspects (DECS). Statistical analyses (chi-square, regression, K-means clustering) confirmed significant correlations between location, water availability, and affordability. ArcGIS spatial mapping revealed distributions of turbidity (30 NTU downstream), E. coli (50 CFU/100 mL), and Water Quality Index (40–80). Water shortages affected 79.2% of respondents in Addis Ababa and 90–100% downstream, with Lake Beseka recording arsenic at 95.6 µg/L. Bole (IUWSI: 2.1) and Akaki Kality (2.2) were the most vulnerable sub-cities. Future projections indicate IUWSI could fall to 1.6 under Business-as-Usual or rise to 3.9 by 2050 under Sustainable Development scenarios. Recommendations include infrastructure upgrades, pollution control, climate-resilient strategies, transboundary governance, and enhanced community engagement, providing a scalable model for urbanizing basins and supporting Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6).

Conventional groundwater exploration gives higher-quality results, but it is time-consuming and expensive. In recent years, geographic information system-based studies have gained much importance in groundwater exploration. This study aimed to delineate the groundwater potential zone of Dire-Dawa using controlling and indicating features. Thematic layers were prepared with the help of remote sensing (RS), geographic information systems (GIS), and analytical hieratical process (AHP) techniques to assess the groundwater potential zone weight overlay analysis and the AHP used. The weight for each thematic map was assigned and accordingly, geomorphology, geology, and slope thematic layers were assigned higher weight whereas soil and land use/land cover thematic layers were assigned lower weight for groundwater potential zone identification. Finally, the weighted thematic maps were integrated by weighted overlay to generate groundwater potential zones. Thus five groundwater potential zones were demarcated as very high (0.035%), high (27.75%), moderate (62.04%), poor (10.14%), and very poor (0.035%) of the total area. The accuracy of the output was cross-validated with boreholes drilled in the study area and showed 73%. Therefore the result demonstrates that RS and GIS techniques are potentially important tools in the delineation of groundwater potential zones of the area at low costs and time.

Water scarcity, flooding and water pollution are causing challenges to life and development in regions facing high poverty and environmental degradation. The Awash River Basin, which lies in the arid and semi-arid part of Ethiopia, is facing more frequent drought and flooding. River pollution is at high risk from the rapid urbanization and industrial developments. This study aims to identify the state of water security by analyzing the socio-hydrological systems. A digital overlay analysis conducted to identify the state of water security in the different parts of the Basin. A framework is developed and used by adding more socio-hydrological variables attributed to the risks of pollution, drought, and flooding. The water-security status was ranked on the scale to 1 to 6, where 1 represents the highest water-insecure units and 6 the least water-insecure. The results showed areas in the Northwestern headwaters as well as highlands of the Southeastern parts of the Basin are relatively water secure, while the middle range and downstream areas are most water-insecure, areas in between the headwaters and middle part of the Basin are moderately water-insecure. This prioritization of water security helps to engage water security interventions for national and international agencies working in the Basin. The study emphasizes the application of a modified socio-ecological overlay analysis tool for background assessment in risk-based water security planning and development activities.