Water shortage hits Lira Municipality

A water crisis hit Lira Municipality and surrounding areas in the last one week forcing residents to spend nights lining up at few wells and boreholes in search of water.

The price of 20 litre jerrycan of water sky rocketed from the usual sh100-sh300 to between sh1000-sh1500.

Lira Municipality and surrounding areas has a water system provided by National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) but there was breakdown according to area manager Ibrahim Walusimbi Mpanga.

Walusimbi said the water crisis was a result of a transformer which blew on Tuesday last week and the generator could not pump enough water to meet the demands of the population considering that this is a dry season.

Speaking on phone on Monday, Walusimbi said they have tirelessly worked with UMEME and fixed the transformer on Saturday. He said they have now resumed normal operation.

"As we speak now, there are areas that have started getting sufficient water," he said.

Walusimbi said by end of Tuesday, he is convinced that the entire network will be having sufficient water.

The Lira area covers the entire Lira Municipality four divisions of Adyel, Central, Ojwina and Railways. It also extends beyond to the surrounding areas of Anai, Akia, Ngetta, Angwetangwet, Odokomit, Omito, Amuca, Boroboro to Kachung (Dokolo) along the pumping main covering a total area of 29 sq km.

They serve 105,200 customers, a total of 48% of the population's water needs according to official information.