A man delivers jerrycans of water around the Ayat neighbourhood. Acute water shortages are ubiquitous in Addis Abeba, with most urbanites having grown accustomed to running water three days a week. While over 230 underground wells contribute to the Legdadi, Gefersa, and Dire dams, the capital's water supply is barely adequate to meet the demand. A population last counted nearly two decades ago is severely underserved by the close to 0.5 million cubic meters coursing daily through the pipes.