Analysis of Household Customer Satisfaction With Water Supply in Debre Markos Town, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Even with significant investments in water supply infrastructure, ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and potable drinking water remains a major challenge in many rapidly urbanizing municipalities, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. This study examined household customer satisfaction with water supply services, focusing on key service quality dimensions, including accessibility, availability, reliability, adequacy, water quality, acceptability, affordability, and institutional responsiveness. A cross‐sectional household survey was conducted among 400 randomly selected households using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques to evaluate customer perceptions and service performance. The findings revealed a substantial gap between actual service delivery and infrastructure coverage. The majority of households experienced a high intermittent water supply, prolonged service interruptions, inadequate water quantities, and low pressure, in spite of 95% being connected to the municipal water network. Most respondents reported that water was available only once every 2 weeks or more, whereas a large proportion considered the supply schedule unreliable. Concerns regarding water quality were also widespread, with respondents expressing dissatisfaction with taste, color, and overall potability. Affordability emerged as another challenge, as most households perceived tariffs and billing practices as unfair despite relatively high payment compliance. Institutional performance was similarly weak, with customers reporting limited responsiveness to complaints, delayed maintenance services, and ineffective grievance‐handling mechanisms. Consequently, overall customer satisfaction was low, with more than two‐thirds of respondents expressing dissatisfaction with the water supply service. The study demonstrated that high connection rates do not necessarily translate into safely managed drinking water services as defined under Sustainable Development Goal 6. The findings highlight the need for a transition from infrastructure‐focused approaches to service‐oriented water governance that prioritizes reliability, water quality, affordability, transparency, and customer engagement. Strengthening utility performance, regulatory oversight, and climate‐resilient water infrastructure is essential to improve customer satisfaction and achieving sustainable urban water security.