In brief
- In 2013, Somaliland Sun reported that a third transmission pipe was planned for Hargeisa's water supply from Geed-deeble.
- The report attributed the plan to the Hargeisa water agency and 'the ministry' and named UN-HABITAT as implementing agency, but without official confirmation.
- No budget, timeline, or evidence of construction has been reported since.
On 25 February 2013, Somaliland Sun reported on the expansion of Hargeisa's water supply from the Geed-deeble well-field. According to the report, a third transmission pipe was planned to be added to the two existing parallel pipes that bring water to Hargeisa. The information was attributed to "Hargeisa water agency and the ministry," although the specific ministry was not named.
The implementing agency for the third transmission pipe was said to be UN-HABITAT, but no official confirmation from UN-HABITAT, the Hargeisa water agency, or any Somali ministry was available in the report.
The article's author, who identified himself as Eng. Ali Haibe Mohamed, a former USAID/UNICEF water engineer and head of the Chinese team during implementation of the project in 1971–74, expressed concerns. He wrote that he could not trust UN-HABITAT with such a sensitive project after the 1998 Sheikh water project. He also claimed that the boreholes in the well-field might not cope with long periods of pumping using three transmission pipes without lowering the water table, which would have serious consequences.
The author recommended that UN-HABITAT employ qualified water engineers and that a committee of engineers be formed to study the viability of the project and follow up on it.
The report did not provide any information about financing, budget, contract value, timeline, or technical specifications for the third pipe. Since the article's publication, no official confirmation of the project's progress or implementation has appeared. It is not known whether the third transmission pipe was constructed, funded, or cancelled.
Frequently asked questions
What was reported about the Hargeisa water supply expansion in 2013?
Somaliland Sun reported that a third transmission pipe was planned for the Geed-deeble well-field to increase water supply to Hargeisa.
Who was reported as the implementing agency for the expansion?
The article said the implementing agency was UN-HABITAT, but no official confirmation was provided.
Has there been any confirmation of construction since the 2013 report?
No. There is no evidence in subsequent reporting that the third pipe was built, funded, or officially approved.