VICTORIA WATER MANAGEMENT ZONE

Introduction:

Uganda is well endowed with water resources but they are not-uniformly distributed both in space and time implying that some areas have too much water leading to periodic fl oods while other areas have too little water and therefore scarcity.

There is also increasing pressure on available water resources due to population increase, industrial growth, urbanisation and increasing growth in irrigated agriculture, factors which require substantial quantities of water to be sustained.

These growth factors have also led to pollution of water resources due to environmental degradation, poor land use practices, and discharge of untreated effl uent among other factors.

Water resources of Uganda therefore need to be managed and developed in an integrated, sustainable and coordinated manner so as to ensure that it is available in adequate quantity and of good quality to meet all social, economic and environmental needs of the present and future generations.

The mandate of managing Water Resources of Uganda lies with the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM) of the Ministry of Water and Environment. Due to the cross cutting nature of water resources both in its existence and as well as uses, water resources management function is vested in the central government through DWRM.

Therefore, water resources management in Uganda is carried out following its natural existence, the drainage pattern which is technically referred to as catchments or watersheds.

The smallest drainage area is called a micro catchment and the biggest drainage area in Uganda has been termed a Water Management Zone. DWRM has de-concentrated the broad water resources management functions to four Water Management Zones (WMZs) of Victoria, Kyoga, Albert and Upper Nile.

Each water management zone has several catchments, a level at which stakeholders are being actively involved in water resources planning, management and development. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS NOTICE 

CENTRAL UMBRELLA OF WATER AND SANITATION AUTHORITY

Introduction:

The Government of Uganda's key goal in the water & sanitation sector is to provide sustainable water and improved sanitation facilities based on management responsibility and ownership by the users, within easy reach of the rural population, with an effective use and functionality of the facilities.

The Umbrella organizations were initiated by Ministry of Water and Environment [ Directorate of Water Development ] with the objective of bringing together Water supply and Sanitation Boards [WSSBs], to collectively solve their own problems without having to wait for the intervention of the Government through pool ideas and resources together for improved functionality and sustainability of the water and sanitation schemes.

Until recently, Central Umbrella of Water and Sanitation was providing a supportive role towards operation and maintenance of various piped water supply systems, however due to reforms in Ministry of Water and Environment on management of water supply systems, umbrella organizations were gazetteed as water authorities to take over management responsibilities, a function lower local governments and Water Supply and Sanitation Boards used to exercise.

This shift in management responsibility is in a drive to ensuring that water supply and sanitation systems are properly managed and ensuring uninterrupted water supply, through reducing on frequent break down of systems, reducing on high water losses, increasing on water coverage and ensuring that the systems are fi nancially viable for self-sustainability.

In ensuring that we meet our objectives, we are driven by our Vision, Mission and Goal below; CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON THIS NOTICE