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The government is fast tracking the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal on Water and Sanitation, or SDG 6.

Referring to SDG 6 as a central goal for most of the 17 goals, also known as the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, top leaders, including cabinet ministers and NGOs, said water, sanitation, and hygiene are important to livelihood and economic growth.

"The NRM government is committed to the realisation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 of ensuring universal access to clean and safe water. This strong commitment is evident in the resource allocations that have been channelled into the rural and urban water supply sub-programmeme under the Human Capital Development programmeme,” said Jessica Alupo, the Vice President of Uganda on Wednesady.

She was speaking at Speke Resort Munyonyo during the celebration to mark the 40th anniversary of Water Aid, which is a charity organisation established in the UK and working in different countries, including Uganda. Water Aid also launched its strategic plan for the coming five years.

The strategic plan for water aid aims at working with the government and its partners, including the communities, to support communities in accessing safe water in the right quantities, as well as sanitation and hygiene. The strategy also aims to support the building of a climate-resilient population.

Alupo highlighted the results of the recent review of the National Development Plan (NDP) III, pointing out that “we have made significant progress in achieving safe water coverage in both rural and urban areas. The indicators of hand hygiene and sanitation have been achieved as per the NDPIII set targets.”

In 1986, only 10% (1 in 10) of the population in rural areas had access to clean, safe water, according to Alupo. “We have since improved. Today, the proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services is 72.3% in urban areas and 67% in rural areas. This means there is still more work to be done to achieve universal access. The piped water main network system and gravity flow systems have significantly improved in both urban and rural areas, up from 37 rural and over 42 urban areas, respectively.”

According to Alupo, government has nowcompleted gravity flow schemes at Lirima in Manafwa, Lukalu-Kabasanda in Butambala, and Nyabuhikye-Kikyenke in Ibanda.

Piped water systems have also been constructed at Nyakabingo in Rukungiri, Kabuyanda in Isingiro, and the Orom Water Supply System in Kitgum-Lamwo. In the urban areas, nine piped water supply and sanitation systems have been completed in Dokolo, Padibe-Lamwo, Odramacaku-Arua, Kagadi, Morulem, and Alerek (Abim), and Kambuga II-Kanungu,

She also said that to deliver the NRM manifesto and accelerate the realisation of SDG 6, the government is prioritising the allocation of more resources, strengthening partnerships and collaborations, and supporting and promoting more innovations in the sector.

“In this financial year, we have earmarked resources for the construction of 1,540 boreholes in 1,050 villages and town wards,” she said, adding that they are also building 49 large, 67 medium, and 80 small piped water schemes in both urban and rural areas.

She also said that the Ministry of Water and Environment has embarked on the rehabilitation and maintenance of 50 water systems in growth centres.

In addition, Alupo accepted to become a water champion, and she also pointed out that she is going to work at the highest political level in East Africa and the African Union to advance the water agenda.

She said she was going to link up with the president responsible for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) at the AU.

“I am glad that the new WaterAid Uganda Country Programme strategy will focus on delivering climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services and WASH in public health,” she said. “This is timely, and as government, through the responsible line ministries, we commit to collaborating with WaterAid Uganda in delivering this strategy.”

She said civil society organisations and the private sector should work more with the government to contribute to the achievement of the Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind, especially women and girls, who are most affected by the lack of WASH services.

Jane Sebuche, the country director of WaterAid Uganda, said they were going to prioritise WASH across the health sector to improve public health. “We will focus on integrating hygiene and behavioural change into core public health programmes and policies. We will improve the quality of care in health care facilities with inclusive and sustainable WASH services.”

In addition, WaterAid is going to strengthen the resilience of WASH to climate change. “Our aim is to make WASH services and behaviours resilient to climate change. We want to ensure that communities in Uganda can cope with existing and future climate threats, maintain water security, access sanitation services, and follow good hygiene practices.

This shall be done through the integration of climate-resilient WASH into climate change policies and plans. Supporting communities to adapt to ensure WASH services and behaviours are resilient to climate change"