By Kinyera Anthony Lakomekec
Feature Stories on Water and Sanitation
Locals in Onyol central village fetch water from the only borehole that serves over 12,000 people. It’s the only clean water point/ borehole in Baradanga parish in Omot sub-county, Agago district.
Studying the water scarcity and toilet coverage in Agago district under the WASH initiative of IRC WashUg, Sanitation and Hygiene in effort with other stakeholders such as Amref Health- Uganda, Simanvi, World Vision, Agency for Sustainable Rural Transformation, Uganda WASH Alliance, Water Aid Uganda
Water: The unending scarce resource
As the world fights climate change concerning human activities, other parts of the world still hang in balance on how to access a clean and enabling environment for a healthy life. An estimated population of over 25,000 has been so far been reported to be depending on one source of water for daily use and, in particular, the majority being special interest groups.
A case study of Agago district was done in response to the availability of water for all under the IRCWASH project during fieldwork with different organizations to check on the water-related issues, latrine coverage, and sanitation as a whole. It was then found that the majority of locals lack the basic of lively materials such as enough water and access to good sanitation (shelters or latrines).
Population concerning water access
According to the water organization, Uganda has experienced two decades of economic growth that has led to large population movements from rural areas to small settlements in urban centers. An increase in population stressed water and sanitation services at risk. Over 7 million Ugandans lack access to safe clean water and 28 million cannot access water to improved sanitation facilities.
Due to these disparities in water access in Uganda, urban people living in poverty pay almost 22% of their income for water. Such a high percentage of earnings spent on water reduces the household income, opportunities to save money and fight poverty.
According to Globalwaters, only 32 percent of Ugandans have access to a basic water supply, while 19 percent have access to basic sanitation and seven million Ugandans practice open defecation.
Agago district, in Uganda, has got an estimated population of 227,792, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) from the population census of 2014, with a projection of over 251,200 by 2020. It’s located in an area of 3,514km2 with a population density of 71.49/km2 and over 16 sub-counties.
Source; City population
Source; City population
The study areas are covered by Amref Uganda, IRCWASH Uganda, among others with Omot sub-county which has a population of over 14,000 according to UBOS on projections 2020 with annual growth of 1.7% in the periods of 2015 to 2020.
Below is a graph of population coverage concerning access to clean water in Agago District
Source; UBOS website with Macrotrends
Population accessing clean water since 2000 in Uganda
Source; UBOS website with Macrotrends
Camilla Achieng, age 83, and Marcelino Odur 68 speak on water scarcity in Agago district.
Camilla Achieng is an elderly person who lives in Onyol central village in Agago district expressed her discomfort while talking about the issues affecting them as being one of the special interest groups. Achieng age 80s said that they are suffering due to water scarcity that has hit their village hard. She added that they always have to trek roughly 2 kilometers in search of water from the neighboring communities of Geregere trading center or even Patongo town council because there is only one borehole functioning out of the four.
She added that her age is another factor since she cannot carry heavy containers with water inside. “The government should support us by rehabilitating the spoiled and installing more boreholes to ease our access to clean water and sanitation,” Achieng added. Meanwhile, as the struggle to obtain safe clean water for all continues, some communities appreciated the fruits of the activities of the CSOs despite other challenges.
In Omot Sub County, water pipe project constructed under project of IRCWASH Uganda in conjunction with other CSOs including Amref health Uganda, Simanvi, Uganda WASH Alliance, Water Aid Uganda, among others, is already serving the population of about 10,000 with its ten installed taps pumped by a motorized machine.
One of the installed motorized water pumps under the WASH project is being implemented in Omot Sub County. It is powered by solar panels. This water source is connected to 10 households, hence supporting over 2000 according to the required numbers of beneficiaries per water point installed. It’s reported that the challenge with the above water source is that sometimes it pumps inadequate water, and the price charged is high; that is, 75 shillings per 20 liters of water. It was later boycotted by the concerned person, Noah Otim Okot, saying that the price is 50 shillings, but not 75 shillings.
Marcelino Odur, aged 68, a resident of Acuru parish.
"The government effort of installing motorized water points is really of good influence on their lives since it will reduce the energy they used to trek long distances in search of water due to scarcity in their area."
Emmanuel Odur, parish councilor III for Opari in Omot Sub County stated that there are stretching issues that are affecting the locals in Atula central village in Omot Sub County due to lack of water for both domestic and economic use. Odur added that the tap water provided by the CSOs has got some issues as well.
He said that the demand for water by the locals is surpassing the quantity of water supplied by the motorized water pump, hence causing panic and insecurity about the sustainability of the newly constructed water point in his area. There are issues arising from the locals that the pricing of the water is also very high, rated at 75 shillings per 20 liters of water.
While the other stakeholders struggle to ensure that there is safe water for all, political leaders are playing a major role in the rehabilitation of the damaged installed boreholes and constructing new ones too. Water scarcity continues to be a challenging need of human life that is paramount in the greater east Acholi districts of; Agago, Pader, Kitgum, and Lamwo. Recently, they appreciated the government's proposal of installing a motorized water pump system which will sort out the scarcity of water that has affected people badly.
The area member of parliaments, Anywar Ricky Richard, said that Acuru parish in Agengo sub-county will have a motorized water system upon the submissions to the central government, and assessments of the project are done. “There is additional funding of 75million shillings for rehabilitation of boreholes and other 15million shillings for the materials to be used in the rehabilitation such as pipes, nuts etcetera in the constituency of Agago West County,” Anywar added.
Bosco Okello, a resident of Labworokemoi, said since the nearby borehole has spoilt, people have to foot over 3 to 4 kilometers looking for clean water, making people depend on Acugu damp water which is shared by animals.
Johnson Otim stated that the community is in terrible condition due to water scarcity in the village, and further urged the district leaders to help the people, or very soon there will outbreak of diarrhea.
WASH in Lamiyo Sub-County, Agago district
Over 400 live without safe water
Lamiyo Sub County has got a population of 14,000 according to the population census of 2014 who are currently supplied with 27 functional boreholes according to the sub-county chairperson, John the Baptist Ojok. Five of the boreholes are not functioning and the population needs water for household and other uses.
According to Ojok, what matters is not the number of the boreholes but the distribution does. The majority of the boreholes in Lamiyo Sub County are concentrated along the roadside hence making it difficult for people who are far from the roadside to access it. He gave an example where three villages, that is; Labwor-okema, Olwor-Ngu, and Wire, with a population estimated to be over 400 are without a single clean source of water for drinking and other household use.
Ojok said that these locals resort to depending on swamp water which is not safe for drinking because animals also drink from the same water point.
Whenever there is a community gathering, locals always prioritize water as their first need during budget allocation, but there are challenges of inadequate capital to finance the activities like drilling of boreholes which costs about 20million per borehole against our budget of roughly 40million.
National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have extended their supply to our Sub County, but limited to a few individuals due to poverty-related issues and geographical location. Ojok said that Lamiyo trading center does not have pipe water for NWSC because it stopped at Kwonkic trading.
The majority of the people suffering due to water scarcity in Lamiyo are children aged 0-15 along with their mothers and a few elders above the age of 75 despite early intervention from GOAL and Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) among other partners including the government.
Latrine coverage in Lamiyo sub-county
Last year ADRA with the sub-county leadership did a household survey in regards to statistics of toilets in the community. A report from the sub-county chairperson’s office indicates that; over 60% of the total population is with toilets, 29% was under construction, and only 11% was without. The majority of the population who are without toilets are elderly people aged 75 and above.
Due to the nature of life, old people are no longer able to dig toilet pits, but the sub-county leaders are advocating and calling upon the youths to dig the pits for the elderly.
As one way of maintaining the constructed toilets, the leaders in Lamiyo came up with a bylaw that would see each household have functional toilets. Failure to do so provokes the bylaw that calls for confiscation of properties to cater for the youths to dig the pit.
Source; Chairperson III Lamiyo Sub County
Source; Chairperson III Lamiyo Sub County
The office of the sub-county chairperson reported that handwashing was not a norm among the community members until Covid-19 broke out in March 2020. Hand washing was at 15% out of the estimated population of 14,000, but due to the covid-19, hand washing went up to 50%. After the lockdown eased drastically, hand washing dropped to 35%.
Pader WASH issues
Hundreds of locals in Pader town council, Pader district have raised concern over water shortage that affected activities.
This follows a continued irregular supply of water and is attributed to an unstable power supply which affects the activities of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation- NWSC
The situation has since affected several households, business premises, and learning institutions, forcing hundreds of water users to turn to the available few unsafe boreholes and wells.
Rose Akullu, a resident of Ogwaleng village, Luna parish stated that National Water and Sewerage Corporations (NWSC) water went dry for almost three days without a single drop of water. NWSC previously dismantled boreholes from the town council despite their poor service delivery, and locals are demanding the leaders to join them in the fight to reinstate the dismantled boreholes. According to Akullu, NWSC always complains about power being their problem, and at times they put stringent laws on boreholes that could have helped locals.
Raphine Adong, a resident of Pader town council said that water is a necessary need that people cannot live without, and thus; due to lack of water, they have resorted to fetching water from a nearby swamp where animals like pigs, cows among others convened drink from which may lead to health complications as locals fight for clean water.
Patrick Okumu, General Manager NWSC- Pader Area acknowledged the water challenge in the town council and, attributed it to the current fault experienced in their pump and unreliable electricity supply. He attributed the failure in the water supply to pump failure hence making it difficult to supply water to the available locals. They are ensuring pump maintenance in a stable supply of water.
In 2016, the National Water and Sewage Cooperation (NSWC) Pader branch and district officials from the water department dismantled over 15 boreholes in the town council after piped water was installed. Pader town council has a population of 16,000 people with a majority of them now relying on water from the nearby streams, and when water goes off because there are few boreholes than the population.
Civil society organization WASH intervention
Due to the outgrowing number of challenges in obtaining safe water for drinking, civil society organizations and other stakeholders have intervened to change the lives and the mindset of locals.
Agago district remains under the spotlight with the immigrants from Karamoja regions who left their homesteads for safe water and food.
Toilet coverage
As one of the strategic partners in WASH Alliance, Amref-health Uganda represented by Isa Sematimba, stated that they triggered villages through behavioral change with elements that include the approaches of Community-Led Total Sanitation which provides the locals with information to support their households with safe latrine coverage to promote good sanitation on their own.
Isa added that most of the interventions from the partners are not handouts since the major components of the project are ‘behavioral change’ of the people using the diamond approach.
Sematimba added that they are working in fifteen villages in Geregere and Omot sub-counties on issues of WASH.
Tuesday, 2nd March 2022. Civil society organization workers and media teams during their field visit to one of the benefactor sub-counties of Geregere (Onyol village, in Baradanga parish) interacting with the locals and their leaders on issues related to WASH implementation. Photo by Lakomekec Anthony Kinyera
In Geregere, there was only ten latrine coverage in the village of Onyol Central, Baradanga parish before the intervention numbers of latrine coverage increased by almost 90% from 10 to 51 out of 56 households.
Source; Research data from WASH Uganda
Source; Research data from WASH Uganda
Sematimba added that the remaining five households without the latrines shall share the existing latrines. The CSOs are working hard to ensure that the lives of the locals are protected through the SDGs that talk about improving access to safe drinking water, sanitation, safe and clean environment. “WASH program was supposed to end in June last year, but because of covid-19, it was extended to this,” Isa added. He predicts that it will either next year in January.
Moses Rujumba, a social worker with Health through Water and Sanitation (HEWASA) stated that decision making in regards to policy framework by creating enabling environment through prioritization from all stakeholders is another thing that must be embraced to achieve the WASH goals and objectives. Rujumba added that the media are partners that play an important role by unearthing issues that are pressing in regards to WASH in the community.
Emmanuel Abibi, a social worker with the WASH project hinted at the challenges reported by locals in regards to climate change, soil type, among others which also affect the performance of the WASH programs. He said that empowering the local entrepreneurs in sustaining WASH should be incorporated for better result realization.
Statistically, the project of WASH is established to benefit a wholesome number of locals.
The targeted population to benefit from; water coverage, sanitation, and hygiene is illustrated below;
Source; Research data from WASH Uganda
The climate in relation to the water scarcity on locals in Agago district
Agago District is located at an elevation of 1036.02 meters (3399.02 feet) above sea level, Agago has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Classification: Aw). Agago district has got a yearly temperature of 25.02ºC (77.04ºF) and it is 1.55% higher than Uganda’s averages. Agago typically receives about 168.7 millimeters (6.64 inches) of precipitation and has 237.74 rainy days (65.13% of the time) annually.
Source; Weather and Climate
Floods/Droughts
The topography of the Agago district is coupled with a tropical climate’s rainfall intensity and/or local or regional land degradation issues like deforestation and wetland drainage or the construction of hydraulic structures that create flow blockage, increase the potential flood risk and vulnerability of the local population, infrastructure, and economic activities in flood-prone areas. Flood risk is exacerbated by the modifications to the runoff characteristics due to deforestation resulting from the increased population pressure in the catchment areas in particular close to the water bodies such as river flood-prone areas or wetlands. Apart from damage in the floodplain areas, direct damage from floods in the nearby swamps is typically limited while indirect damage e.g., outbreaks of water-borne diseases among people and livestock, displacement of population, and cutting off key transport links, are reportedly more significant
The direct consequences of floods are usually limited to the indirect ones (such as the spreading of waterborne diseases), the proper strategy, in this case, is to develop a more suitable land use planning and management system taking explicitly into account the extent and return time of both ordinary and extreme flood events in rivers and wetlands. The drought year varies from about 80% to 84% of the mean year within the region.
General Water Demand
The current and projected water demand was categorized based on the user category, with the main categories considered being;
1) Water for people/Domestic water; this was estimated using population and per capita consumption relative to each type of user
2) Water for production:
a) Crop; this was estimated using crop production, the cultivated area, and the crop water requirements
b) Livestock; this was estimated using the livestock density and the per capita consumption
Media inclusion
As part of the stakeholders, the media has been pointed as one of the engineers that could see an end to water scarcity among the community members. The media included; radio, television, bloggers, online newspapers, and hard printed newspapers sold along the streets on racks. Many initiatives were reported by the media that concern WASH issues.
During media training on how to report on issues of WASH held in Agago district, many things were raised by the media. This included; reporting by the respective person who works with the WASH organization, technical people from the government like water officers, among others.
While giving a presentation on WASH issues, media fraternities projected out that as far as life is a concern, they will endeavor to cover WASH-related issues that are affecting the locals. However, Susan Achola, a journalist working with Radio Wang-ooh in Agago district stated that there are challenges from the CSOs in the way they perceive the media. “There are things that are paid for and others are not media does not cover stories without getting a tip-off and others publish stories in their format (meaning stories covered matters),” she added.
Jesse Johnson James, a journalist working with Uganda Radio Network hinted that for communication to be complete everyone has a role to play. Media cannot work isolated, as well the CSOs too. He added that corporation is a key to achieving the set goals and objectives under the WASH initiative.
Susan Achola during the media engagement training with the CSOs on how to report on WASH issues held at Top View Hotel, Patongo town council, Agago district.
Media practitioners have been encouraged to use social media handles in the 21st century according to reports from Shift Communication; 4.48 billion people currently use social media daily than the version of the old media. These new media include; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, and others.
The training was typical to widen the media coverage of the WASH programs in the catchment areas and will eventually unearth the seriously affected communities suffering due to the lack of clean water for use and sanitation.
Government Intervention on WASH projects
What does the constitution provide for in terms of water and sanitation access?
In 2016, the Government pledged an annual target of drilling 5,000 boreholes in five years at a rate of 1,000 boreholes per year and fitted with hand-pumps based on their yield. To date, the sector has drilled 846 boreholes per year translating into 84.6% performance. These boreholes have helped serve an extra 253,800 people across the country.
The objective is to increase access to safe and clean water supply in rural and urban areas while ensuring the availability of at least one source per village and promoting improved sanitation. Our target was to increase access to clean and safe water from 65% to 79% in rural areas and from 77% to 100% in urban areas by 2021 to provide a water source in every village. This will perhaps be implemented through the ministry of water and environment headed by Sam Cheptoris.
The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995)
The constitution of 1995 sets many national guiding principles relating to, and supporting the principles of sustainable development that include; having balanced and equitable development, which requires that the State adopts an integrated and coordinated planning approach.
It further stipulates that the State ensures balanced development between different areas of Uganda and between the rural and urban areas with special measures employed to favor the development of the least developed areas. Through the constitution, the State is entrusted to protect important natural resources including land, water, and wetlands on behalf of the people of Uganda.
The state must further endeavor to fulfill the fundamental rights of all Ugandans to social justice and economic development, with all developmental efforts directed at ensuring the maximum social and cultural well-being of the people. In terms of the Constitution, all Ugandans have a right to clean and safe water and a decent shelter. It's the same state to take into consideration the wellbeing of the installed structures harboring the entities related to water and the environment. Through all this, the Constitution sets the scene for Integrated Water Resource Management in Uganda.
National Water Policy (1999)
The 1999 National Water Policy provides an overall policy framework that defines the Government’s policy objective as managing and developing water resources of Uganda in an integrated and sustainable manner, to secure and provide water of adequate quantity and quality for all social and economic needs sustainably, with the full participation of all stakeholders,” (Directorate of Water Resources Management, 2012). According to the National Water Policy and the Water Act Cap 152, the responsibilities to provide water services and to maintain facilities were devolved to local councils in districts and urban centers. The role of the Central Government’s Agencies is that of guiding and supporting as required. The Act thus emphasizes the shared responsibilities in the development and management of water resources among stakeholders, including the Private Sector and non-Government organizations (NGOs) to regulate human activities that can pose risks to water resources. It also provides for pollution control measures with associated penalties and fines
Water Act Cap 152 (1997)
Uganda’s Water Act Cap 152 provides for the use, protection, and management of water resources and supply; and facilitates the devolution of water supply and sewerage undertakings. Its objectives are:
i) To promote the rational management and use of the water resources of Uganda by:
• Use of appropriate standards and techniques for the investigation, use, control, protection, management, and administration of water resources
• Coordinating all public and private activities which may influence the quality, quantity, distribution, use, or management of water resources
• Coordinating, allocating, and delegating responsibilities for the investigation, use, control, protection, management, or administration of water resources
ii) To promote the provision of a clean, safe, and sufficient supply of water for domestic purposes
Water systems were installed by the Government of Uganda through the ministry of water and environment to support the WASH. This system is expected to serve seven villages in two parishes with a targeted design population of 23,322 beneficiaries by the year 2041.
Photo: Twitter handle for Ministry of water and environment
iii) To ensure appropriate development and use of water resources other than for domestic use, e.g. watering of stock, irrigation, and agriculture, industrial, commercial and mining uses, generation of energy, navigation, fishing, preservation of flora and fauna, and recreation in ways which minimize damage to the environment iv) To control pollution and promote the safe storage, treatment, discharge and disposal of waste, which may pollute water or otherwise harm the environment and human health.
According to the National Water Policy (1999) and the Water Act Cap 152, the responsibilities to provide water services and to maintain facilities are devolved to local councils in districts and urban centers, with full mandates to construct, acquire or alter any water supply work.
The role of the Central Government’s Agencies is that of guiding and supporting as required. The Act thus emphasizes the shared responsibilities in the development and management of water resources among stakeholders (including the Private Sector and NGOs) to regulate human activities that can pose risks to water resources. It also provides for pollution control measures with associated penalties and fines.
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