KAMPALA – Cheptoris Sam – Minister of Water and Environment has announced that his ministry through the rural water supply department has to date constructed 150,837 water supply facilities comprising of 42,007 deep boreholes, 21,722 shallow wells, 29,261 protected springs, 37,480 Public Stand Post (PSP)/taps and 20,367 rainwater harvesting tanks.
The minister added that about 70% (33,180,420 people) (68% in the rural and 71.6% in the urban) of the current population have access to clean and safe water services while 30 percent (14,220,000 people) of the population are without access to clean and safe water services.
Cheptoris was on Monday accounting for his ministry at the ongoing Manifesto Week 2023 at the president’s office.
He said that the sector’s strategic focus is to increase access to safe and clean water as well as improved sanitation by increasing piped water coverage in both urban and rural areas so that water is brought nearer to the users with at least a source per village.
“Efforts have been made to increase storage and invest in the construction of multipurpose water reservoirs to boost production and productivity in the key sectors of the economy, as well as promoting massive tree planting and restoration of the degraded ecosystems country-wide.”
Accordingly, there are 70,512 villages in the country out of which 49,102 villages representing (70%) have access to at least one safe water source.
The ministry completed the construction of the following water supply systems as presented.
- Kibuku District has two (02) piped water systems developed in Buseta Rural Growth Centre serving populations of 2,276 and Kasasira Rural Growth Centre serving populations of 5,676.
- These two (02) piped water systems were constructed in Kameke Rural Growth Centre serving 1,546 people and Kapala Rural Growth Centres serving 2,735 people.
- Lirima GFS Phase II serves a total of 40,800 persons. For further management, the system is under the National Water and Sewerage Cooperation.
- Bukedea GFS-Phase I is serves a total of 60,624 persons. The system is under the management of Umbrella Organization – East for further management.
- Orom GFS, at the time of handover to Umbrella Organization- North, 446 connections (431No. yard taps, 15No. public stand posts and 3No. toilet facilities) had been made serving a total of 13,344 persons.
- Shuuku and Masyoro (Sheema) was 100% completed and at the time of handover, there were 300 connections serving 7,200 persons. The system was handed over to National Water and Sewerage Cooperation for further management.
Ongoing Construction Works
- Nyabuhikye and Kikyenkye (Ibanda) is 90% complete and has 1000 promotional connections.
- Kabuyanda water supply and sanitation in Isingiro is at 90% completion with 850 connections made to the system serving 20,400 persons.
- There has been no progress made for Bukedea Phase II (Sironko, Kween, Kapchorwa, Bulambuli), Rwebisengo – Kanaara Phase II (Ntoroko), Orom Phase II (Kitgum/Agago/Pader) water systems. However, the Ministry of Water and Environment is securing financing from African Development Bank for Phase II.
- The construction of Bitsya Gravity Flow System in Buhweju District- The contract was awarded and the contactor is mobilizing to start works.
- The construction of Nyamugasani Water supply system in Kasese DistrictThe contract was awarded and the contractor is mobilising to start works.
- The construction of Bwambara – Bugangari (Rukungiri district); Ngoma – Wakyato (Nakaseke district) and Potika (Lamwo district) was affected by the cancellation of the USD 94.594 million offered by EXIM Bank of India for the development of Large Gravity Flow Schemes across the country.
Drilling of environmentally friendly boreholes countrywide.
Cheptoris revealed that there are 422 new point water sources including 323 hand-pumped wells and 99 production wells that have been drilled and constructed across the country serving 126,600 persons.
“These interventions mainly focused on least served districts of Buvuma, Buyende, Bundibudgyo, Kakumiro, Kamuli, Kassanda, Kisoro, Kyegegwa, Mubende, Rakai, Wakiso, Yumbe, Kirumira, Lyantonde and Sembabule,” he said.
“Installation of 2,060 environmentally friendly and sustainable solar-powered boreholes to increase safe water coverage in the least served villages,” he added.
He noted that with support from development partners, 100 mini solar-powered pumping water systems for schools and health facilities with extensions to nearby communities have been constructed in the districts of Adjumani, Arua, Kiryandongo, Moyo, Isingiro, Moroto, Napak, Amudat, Nakapipirit and Kotido serving 50,000 persons.
The minister, however, acknowledged that despite all the water developments and initiatives, there are still about 21,410 villages (30%) without any safe and clean water source.
He also revealed that there has been no progress in establishing a supply chain for spare parts and outlets for borehole infrastructure due to the closure of shops by Victoria Pumps and Engineering and Buyaya Technical Services, the potential actors.
NATIONAL WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION (LARGE TOWNS WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE)
The ministry reported that the Corporation’s geographical coverage has grown by 3% from 258 tons to 268 towns (an additional 10 towns). These towns are located in 94 districts across the country, and constitute 11 cities, 257 towns and 16,601 villages. Currently, the village service coverage stands at 65% (10,799 villages with at least one safe water point).
The Corporation’s aspiration is to increase its water service coverage from 74% to 86% in 2026 and sewerage service coverage from 21% to at least 30%. Currently, the water service coverage stands at 78% while sewerage service coverage at 23%.
“This denotes an improvement of four (4) percentage points from 74% to 78%. This is attributed to increased connectivity of 22% mainly attributed to the expansion of the water network through the implementation of the SCAP 100 Project and other Capital Development Projects in various NWSC Operational Areas.”
NWSC Completed Projects
- Completed the construction of the Katosi Water Treatment Plant, which increased daily water production by 160 million litres, from 240 million litres in 2020 to 400 million litres in Kampala Metropolitan.
- Upgrading of Kapeeka Water Supply System, which enhanced daily water production from 2.5 million litres to 5 million litres. The Project has improved water supply services delivery in Kapeeka plus the neighbouring towns of Semuto, and Bukomero among others. In addition, 15 projects/industries have benefited from the upgrade of the production system in the Industrial park.
- Rehabilitation and expansion of the Sembabule Water Supply Project. The Plant is now able to produce 3 million litres of water daily as opposed to the 300,000 litres initially. Connected 450 new customers to the project line. New areas served because of the project include; Lugusuru, Kisozi, Kajjumiro trading centre and Nanseko
- Fort Portal Water Production Improvement Project was also completed. Current production capacity is 5 million litres per day compared to 2.5 million litres initially.
- Development of Parombo Water System to serve over 20,000 people in the Area following the Presidential Directive in 2018 for NWSC to extend water to Parambo town. Daily Water supply improved by 200,000 litres.
- Water for Virungas Project – Kisoro aimed at improving water supply in the 17 villages around the Virunga ranges, to deter the locals from entering the Mgahinga National Park to compete with the Animals for water.
- Upgrading of the Kisoro – Nkanka Water Supply System from 3.1 million litres daily to 5.8 million litres.
- Jinja – Iganga Water Supply Improvement Project that improved daily water production by 6 million litres. The system serves an additional 300,000 people in over 200 Villages in Jinja, Iganga, Mayuge, Kayunga and Buikwe.
- Upgrading of the Hoima Water Supply, which has improved water supply in Hoima City by an additional 3.5 million liters daily. The System will enhance water supply services in within Hoima City and the Areas of Kasengo district Headquarters, Kihukia Busisi, Budaka, Kiduma, Kalongo, and Kyesiga among others among others, which have been affected by intermittent water supply.
- Lyantonde Water Supply Project intended to enhance daily water production by 3 million liters daily. This will improve water supply services in the Areas of Lyantonde, Rushere and Rushara Industrial Park.
- Nakivubo Waste-Water Treatment Plant with capacity of 45 million liters daily. The system was completed and is undergoing performance monitoring. The Plant is to serve an additional 380,000 people in Kampala Metropolitan. The Plant is to serve an additional 380,000 people in Kampala. The Plant will also produce an avergae of 180kwh per day of electricity sufficient to meet 70% of the plant energy requirement.
- Kiruddu Waste Water Treatment Plant with a capacity of 300,000 liters daily targeting Kiruddu Hospital and the surrounding community. The project is substantially completed and is under testing.
CHALLENGES
The ministry reported ddegraded water catchments that affect the availability of adequate and good quality water, low funding that does not match the growing water demands and water use patterns, high annual population growth rate and ilapidated and ageing infrastructure that requires high operation and maintenance costs.
Other bottlenecks include;
High rate of deforestation on private lands and CFR encroachment: The high rate of deforestation on private lands (0.8 % per year across the country.
Forest encroachment remains one of the most adverse risks for forest investments, development and management. Some Private Tree Farmers had running battles with local communities and land grabbers for example in Bajjo, Iziru, Kandanda-Ngobya and Nsowe.
Issuance of illegal land titles in CFRs by Uganda Land Commission and District Land Boards continues to create a lot of litigation and related costs to NFA.
Inadequate forest management infrastructure and equipment for example forest roads, forest management stations are still a challenge and continue to limit effective and efficient forest management in all central forest reserves, and
Unreliable Weather Patterns and wild fires: Due to the effects of climate change, unreliable weather patterns make it difficult to plan for normal rain season tree planting and this made it more expensive in terms of replacement of dead trees and protection of other wooded lands from fires.
