Nakivubo wetland most polluted
Jun 07, 2004
NAKIVUBO Wetland, the main drainage channel for central Kampala, is the most polluted of all the surface water systems draining towards Lake Victoria, a Sanitation Strategy and Master Plan report for Kampala city, has revealed.
By John Kasozi
NAKIVUBO Wetland, the main drainage channel for central Kampala, is the most polluted of all the surface water systems draining towards Lake Victoria, a Sanitation Strategy and Master Plan report for Kampala city, has revealed.
“The report indicates that four tonnes of organic material are washed down to the lake per day,†B.P. Twesigye, an official of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) said recently.
Kampala is estimated to have 181,300 households. The current sanitation coverage by NWSC is 9%. For that reason, only 20km2 of greater Kampala’s 300km2 has waterborne sewerage system.
The report further SAYS 5% of the households are served by on-site septic tanks, 12% Ventilated Improved Pit latrines, 72% share ordinary pit latrines while 2% have no access to any sanitation facility.
Kampala city is built on steep sloping hills separated by valleys of varying gradients. This makes the collection of sewage to a single treatment plant very difficult, the report says.
“Sewage effluents delivered to the plant are at times toxic and acidic. At the in-let, large solid objects, rags, foetus, medical cotton wastes and polythene sheets are removed for disposal,†says Everest Okwerede of NWSC.
Although nutrients, phosphate and nitrogen compounds are routinely monitored their removal is low. The plant cannot do it and the wetland acts as a natural purifier.
Ends
NAKIVUBO Wetland, the main drainage channel for central Kampala, is the most polluted of all the surface water systems draining towards Lake Victoria, a Sanitation Strategy and Master Plan report for Kampala city, has revealed.
“The report indicates that four tonnes of organic material are washed down to the lake per day,†B.P. Twesigye, an official of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) said recently.
Kampala is estimated to have 181,300 households. The current sanitation coverage by NWSC is 9%. For that reason, only 20km2 of greater Kampala’s 300km2 has waterborne sewerage system.
The report further SAYS 5% of the households are served by on-site septic tanks, 12% Ventilated Improved Pit latrines, 72% share ordinary pit latrines while 2% have no access to any sanitation facility.
Kampala city is built on steep sloping hills separated by valleys of varying gradients. This makes the collection of sewage to a single treatment plant very difficult, the report says.
“Sewage effluents delivered to the plant are at times toxic and acidic. At the in-let, large solid objects, rags, foetus, medical cotton wastes and polythene sheets are removed for disposal,†says Everest Okwerede of NWSC.
Although nutrients, phosphate and nitrogen compounds are routinely monitored their removal is low. The plant cannot do it and the wetland acts as a natural purifier.
Ends