Arua City: Make hay while it rains

_______________

By Walter Akena

An age-old adage goes "Make hay while the sun shines”. This adage offers an apt reminder to the leadership of Arua City as they confront a persistent and recurrent water crisis. Each rainy season presents a critical opportunity for effective water resource management. Incidentally, this is an opportunity that year after year; remains unutilized leaving the city vulnerable during the dry months.

Between February and March, Arua City grappled with intermittent water shortages, primarily resulting from the prolonged dry spell that significantly reduced water levels in River Enyau.

This river serves as the primary water source for the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), which supplies water to the city’s residents. However, as has become a cyclical pattern; the onset of the dry season—typically from January to April—precipitates a severe decline in the river's water levels, triggering predictable and recurrent water crises.

The city’s growing dependence on River Enyau has, over time, revealed itself to be a structural vulnerability. This reliance is further exacerbated by unregulated human activities along the riverbanks, including subsistence farming, sand mining, construction, and car washing. These activities not only contribute to environmental degradation but also accelerates pollution, undermining the ecological integrity and long-term sustainability of the river as a reliable water source.

Paradoxically, this recurring water scarcity stands in stark contrast to the heavy rainfall that Arua experiences during much of the year. The city records substantial precipitation, particularly in October, when the average monthly rainfall reaches approximately 6.8 inches.

Instead of leveraging this abundance, the city frequently contends with urban flooding, particularly in neighbourhoods such as Awindiri, Nsambya, Oli, Sansiro, Osu, and others. The aftermath of these rain events is visible in form of roads strewn with sand, plastics, and polythene waste carried by floodwaters, and drainage systems clogged with silt and debris.

This juxtaposition—water scarcity during dry spells and flooding during wet periods—exposes significant shortcomings in the city’s water management systems. Numerous studies have documented how rapid urbanization and population growth impose new hydrological stresses, rendering cities increasingly vulnerable to water shortages and related environmental challenges. For Arua City, the imperative for adopting sustainable and integrated water management practices is both urgent and non-negotiable.

One of the most underexploited strategies in Arua is rainwater harvesting. Globally, rainwater harvesting—collecting and storing rainwater from rooftops and impermeable surfaces—has proven effective in supplementing municipal water supplies, particularly in regions with pronounced dry seasons.

This approach alleviates pressure on centralized water sources and enhances urban water security. However, a cursory survey of Arua City reveals a conspicuous absence of rainwater harvesting infrastructure across both public institutions and private properties.

Currently, significant volumes of rainwater are discharged into drainage systems as surface runoff rather than being captured and stored. This not only results in substantial water losses but also contributes to heightened flood risks by overwhelming drainage infrastructure during periods of intense rainfall. Moreover, the runoff exacerbates environmental degradation by transporting plastics, sediments, and pollutants across the urban landscape.

Arua City's acute vulnerability is further underscored by its singular reliance on River Enyau. Any disruption in rainfall patterns in the river’s upstream catchment areas significantly compromises NWSC’s capacity to maintain consistent water supply. Furthermore, reliance on a single, centralized water source renders the city susceptible to disruptions from natural disasters, climatic variability, or anthropogenic pressures.

To enhance the city’s resilience, a strategic shift is necessary—transitioning from over-reliance on centralized water infrastructure to a decentralized, diversified water supply framework. Such an approach would entail the establishment of multiple, scattered water "life-points" within the urban area, including rainwater harvesting systems, groundwater abstraction points, and strategically constructed water reservoirs. This model not only enhances flexibility during periods of water scarcity but also reduces systemic vulnerabilities associated with singular dependencies.

The city authorities must adopt a two-pronged approach as a long-term strategy of addressing the perennial water crisis. Firstly, there is a need to actively promote and incentivize the installation of rainwater harvesting systems across both public institutions and private residences. Encouraging households, businesses, and government facilities to invest in rooftop water collection systems can address water shortages at the micro level.

Secondly, the city should invest in the construction of water reservoirs designed to capture and store runoff during the rainy season. Waters stored in these reservoirs can be treated and utilized during the dry season, serving as reliable supplementary sources to River Enyau. Such an integrated approach would not only mitigate the water crisis but also reduce urban flooding, improve groundwater recharge, and foster a sustainable urban water cycle. Without these strategic interventions, Arua City will continue to grapple with recurrent water crisis.

The writer is a Research Officer at the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)