Water Day supplement

Is Kampala's wastewater a menace or gift?

By Gerald Tenywa

As she jumps over a trench of wastewater from her home in the sprawling slum of Kifumbira in Kampala on the way to her workplace, Anne Nyangoma is disturbed by the stench wafting through the air.

Although she is one of those who are disturbed by the wastewater stench, Nyangoma does not know that she is part of the problem. She bathes, cooks, washes clothes and dishes, hence producing wastewater.

Her plight and that of thousands of other people in Kampala's slums has been made diffi cult by the fact that they are not connected to the public sewer lines.

Additionally, the toilets and pit-latrines in these areas are emptied during the rainy season. "It is difficult to live in this part of Kampala because anything can fl ow past you into the streams," Nyangoma says.

A waste water channel in Kisenyi, Kampala. Most parts of Kampala, especially slums, face the problem of disposing of wastewater

"We do not like to live in such areas, but conditions have pushed me against the wall," she adds. "It is worse for mothers and the children who do not move out of the slum."

National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) publicist Samuel Apedel says wastewater is a big problem in Uganda's urban areas, including Kampala.

He says wastewater is a result of activities which are domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural. He adds that it can also be runoff or storm water.

Speaking ahead of the celebrations to commemorate the UN World Water Day under the theme, "wastewater", Apedel said wastewater is becoming a big challenge in Kampala and other urban areas across the country.

Much as wastewater is a problem, it could also be harnessed to produce fertiliser or electricity that could be used in lighting of people's houses. CLICK HERE FOR MORE

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