East Gojjam July 24/2012 More than 425,000 people got access to safe water service following construction of potable water facilities in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara State with over 37.4 million Birr during the 2004EC budget year, the zonal water resource development department said.

The department told ENA that over 1520 safe water facilities were constructed in the zone during the reported period.

The facilities include, among others, digging of water wells and development of springs.

More than 374,000 of the beneficiaries live in rural parts of the zone.

The government allocated over seven million birr of the budget while international and indigenous NGOs contributed over 30 million Birr for construction of the facilities.

The facilities helped to increase zonal safe water service coverage to 83.6 per cent from the previous 79.9 per cent.