Professional Summary
Eng. Habtamu Mekuria Tenkolu is a senior Water Supply, Sanitation, Wastewater and Hydraulic Infrastructure Engineer with more than 18 years of distinguished professional experience in the planning, design, supervision, contract administration, and delivery of major water and sanitation infrastructure projects. He holds an M.Sc. in Water Science Engineering from UNESCO-IHE in Delft, the Netherlands, and a B.Sc. in Soil and Water Resources Engineering from Hawassa/Debub University in Ethiopia. His professional record demonstrates a rare combination of technical depth, field leadership, international project exposure, and practical engineering judgement. He has worked on water supply systems, wastewater treatment plants, faecal sludge treatment plants, sewer networks, city-wide inclusive sanitation programs, rural and urban water infrastructure, pumping mains, reservoirs, hydraulic structures, solid waste facilities, irrigation systems, and non-revenue water reduction programs. Across Ethiopia, Lesotho, and Malawi, he has contributed to high-impact infrastructure assignments supported by major national institutions and development partners, including the World Bank Group, African Development Bank, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and French Development Agency. His work includes feasibility studies, concept design, detailed design, design review, hydraulic assessment, tender document preparation, BOQs, cost estimates, quality assurance, construction supervision, FIDIC-based contract administration, claims handling, payment certification, risk management, and project close-out. Eng. Habtamu stands out as a practical infrastructure professional who understands projects from the first assessment stage to final implementation. His experience bridges engineering design, construction supervision, institutional support, GIS and hydraulic modelling, environmental sanitation, and project management. He brings the maturity of a senior engineer, the discipline of a contract administrator, and the responsibility of a field leader committed to delivering safe, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive water and sanitation infrastructure for communities.
Key Expertise
Major Projects and Contributions
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Design Review of Harar Town Wastewater Management System
Serves as Sanitary Engineer for the design review of Harar Town wastewater management system, a major assignment involving verification of WWTP and sewer system design bases, process design assessment, standards compliance review, risk identification, wastewater treatment process review, and hydraulic adequacy assessment of the sewer network. This project reflects his senior competence in wastewater engineering, sewer systems, and technical design review. -
Hossana Town Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant
Resident Engineer for the Hossana Town faecal sludge treatment plant, leading design review, construction supervision, contract administration, quality control, technical reporting, payment review, claims handling, and coordination with clients and contractors. The project demonstrates his capacity to manage complex sanitation infrastructure from design review through implementation. -
Wolaita Sodo and Arba Minch Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant Project
Sanitary Engineer for design review, construction supervision, and contract administration of faecal sludge treatment plant works, including hydraulic review, mobilization readiness checks, site supervision, quality monitoring, technical reporting, construction methodology review, risk management, and contractor coordination. -
Six Towns City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation Project
Wastewater Specialist, Sanitary Engineer, and focal person/team leader for Hossana and Butajira under the city-wide inclusive sanitation project for Arerti, Injibara, Butajira, Hossana, Burayu, and Fitche. His work includes sanitation assessment, feasibility study, master planning, technology option analysis, detailed design, tender documents, faecal sludge treatment plant planning, sewer system planning, and wastewater treatment planning. -
Gondar, Dessie and Debre Berhan City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation Project
Wastewater Specialist, Sanitary Engineer, and focal person/team leader for Gondar Town, contributing to one of the most technically demanding urban sanitation planning assignments in Ethiopia. His responsibilities include sanitation situation assessment, feasibility study, concept design, detailed design, faecal sludge treatment plant planning, sewer network design, wastewater treatment plant planning, tender documentation, and technical coordination. -
Zala and Tembaro Climate-Resilient Multi-Village Water Supply Project
Water Supply Engineer for feasibility study, detailed design, supervision, and contract administration for borehole drilling and climate-resilient water supply and sanitation facilities in Zala and Tembaro. His work includes source evaluation, multi-criteria option analysis, route selection, pumping station siting, reservoir planning, distribution pipeline design, auxiliary buildings, and preparation of tender documents. -
Tertiary Main for Zones 7 and 8 and Rural Water Supply Projects in Lesotho
Water Supply Engineer for design review, construction supervision, and contract administration of tertiary mains, service tanks, reticulation systems, river crossings, gully crossings, valve chambers, tender documents, drawings, BOQs, and engineering cost estimates in Maseru, Lesotho. This assignment highlights his international field experience and ability to deliver rural water supply infrastructure in demanding conditions. -
Matsieng, Mantšebo, Rothe and Mokhalinyane Rural Water Supply Systems
Water Supply and Hydraulic Engineer for assessment, preliminary design, detailed design, tender document preparation, project planning, and supervision support for rural water supply systems in the Kingdom of Lesotho. The work involved long transmission and reticulation pipelines, reservoirs, administrative buildings, appurtenant structures, cost estimates, and technical design reports. -
Mekelle Non-Revenue Water Reduction and Pressure Management Project
Hydraulic Modelling Engineer for pressure management and non-revenue water reduction in the Mekelle water distribution system. His contribution includes field assessment, data collection coordination, water supply component database development, and GIS-hydraulic model preparation, calibration, and operation, demonstrating strong competence in practical hydraulic modelling and urban water system optimization. -
Sibilu Dam and Addis Ababa Water Supply Infrastructure Project
Hydraulic Engineer and survey coordinator for detailed design and tender document preparation for Sibilu Dam and associated water supply infrastructure, including ancillary structures, pumping stations, water treatment plant, transmission mains, reservoirs, distribution systems, geotechnical investigations, route selection, and hydraulic design of large-scale water supply facilities. -
Strategic Sanitation Investment Plan for Nkhata Bay, Malawi
Hydraulic Engineer for strategic sanitation planning in Nkhata Bay, Malawi, including sanitation situation assessment, development and evaluation of sanitation technology options, technical ranking, sanitation and hygiene investment planning, tender document preparation, and coordination of socio-economic and environmental screening. This project strengthens his regional African sanitation experience. -
Sendafa Solid Waste Treatment System
Project Manager and Resident Engineer for construction supervision and contract administration of the Sendafa solid waste treatment system in Addis Ababa, including treatment plant works, administrative buildings, storm drainage channels, quality control, technical reporting, payment review, claims handling, stakeholder coordination, and project risk management. -
Fri El Cotton Irrigation System at Omo Rate
Projects Coordinator and Resident Engineer for assessment, detailed design support, construction supervision, and contract administration of irrigation, water supply, and related infrastructure works for the Fri El Cotton irrigation system at Omo Rate, Ethiopia. This assignment reflects his ability to connect water supply, irrigation, and field-based infrastructure delivery. -
Fitche Town Water Supply Project
Contributed to water supply infrastructure implementation for Fitche Town, including technical support, construction supervision, contract administration, and delivery of essential water supply works serving urban communities. -
Butajira Town Water Supply Project and Water Utility Management
Managed the Butajira Town water supply project and water supply and sewerage enterprise activities, including consultancy services, tendering of works and supplies, borehole development, electromechanical equipment installation, pipe and fitting supply, civil works construction, commissioning support, and utility management. This role demonstrates early leadership and full project-cycle responsibility. -
South Dublin County Ethiopian Partnership Project, Butajira
Served as focal person for coordination and liaison between the South Dublin County Ethiopian Partnership Project and Butajira town sector offices. His work included preparation of water supply and sanitation project proposals, project task management, progress monitoring, and coordination of storm drainage, water supply, sanitation, solid waste, and community infrastructure activities. -
Water Resources Development for Butajira Town and Meskan Woreda
Water Resources Engineer responsible for assessment, feasibility study, concept design, detailed design, tender document preparation, construction supervision, and contract administration for water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and storm drainage projects. This early career experience established his strong foundation in practical water resources engineering.