National Water symposium seeks to create stronger co-operations

By David Ssempijja

Public and private players in the water sector are set to strengthen partnerships seeking to cause a more sustainable water management in terms of safe production, distribution, usage, quality and quantity.

The development will also add momentum the recently launched euro 212m project that will see residents of Kampala city and surrounding areas receiving an additional 72 million litres of water by end of next year.

Concerted efforts towards water development are of paramount importance because water is essential for all life forms and a fundamental resource necessary for socioeconomic development and ecological sustainability.

Against that background, parties in water development are set to meet and map out ways of improving the sector, courtesy of the National Water Symposium that will take place on the 27th of February, 2014 at the International Water Resource Center, Bugolobi.

The symposium is being organised by Always Be Tolerate Organization (ABETO), in partnership with Ministry of Water and Environment, National Water and Sewerage Cooperation (NWSC), Uganda National Bureau of Standards and RoyalWay Media.

“It’s a high time sectors cooperated, we need to connect our thoughts and actions. Every action involving water management and sustainability requires effective cooperation between multiple actors whether at the local or international scale,” Moses Musana, the ABETO chairman said in a statement.

If people involved in water management do not cooperate, the ‘cooperation chain’ is broken and water resources will not be managed in the most effective way, causing adverse effects on human lives and the economy, according to  Rwandarugali Peace, the business development- External Services manager at NWSC.

The Symposium seeks to provide a unique forum for the exchange of water-related views, experiences and practices between the scientific, business and civic communities and policy makers.

Over 50 participants from water service providers and other water-rated services including; researchers in the water sector, quality water assurance providers and suppliers of water equipment as well as purification have confirmed participation, according to RoyalWay Media, the chief organizers of the event.