Safe water for Vision 2040
Sep 18, 2018
It is constructing and rehabilitating earth dams and valley tanks mainly in the cattle corridor that stretches from Isingiro in southwestern Uganda to Karamoja
Water is essential for life, health and prosperity. It is a human right. And as Uganda looks forward to achieving Vision 2040, adequate water for good health and agricultural and industrial development will remain a key resource. Below, we look at how the sector is fairing.
Rural water sector
Uganda's population has continued to grow rapidly over time. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics projected the population to be 37.73 million by mid 2017, growing at an average annual growth rate of 3%. Of these, 28,572,200 (76%) were living in rural areas.
Rural water supply serves a scattered population in settlements up to 1,500 people and rural growth centres with populations between 1,500 and 5,000.
According to the Ministry of Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2016/17, the main technology options used for water supply improvement in rural areas include deep boreholes which are the most predominant at 42%, shallow wells (at 25%), protected springs (at 21%), public stand posts (at 6%), yard taps for public use (at 6%) and kiosks (at 1%) and rainwater harvest tanks (at 1%).
Boreholes are the predominant water supply technology in Uganda's rural areas. Whereas the number of point sources is more than the number of villages in the country, there are still villages in water-stressed areas that do not have water sources.
"The sizes of villages also vary substantially, where people in some villages in eastern and northern Uganda walk much longer distances than the minimum walking distance for a safe water source," reads part of the report.
The report notes that the national safe water coverage in rural areas stood at 70% as of June 2017, up from 67% recorded in June 2016. However, 65% of the districts have a coverage equal to or above the national average of 70% compared to 69% of the districts that had a coverage equal to or above the national average coverage figure of 67% in 2016.
On the other hand, 35% of the districts have a coverage below the national average coverage figure of 70%.
Urban water supply
Uganda's second National Development Plan (NDP II) aims to increase access to safe water in urban areas to 95% and 100% in National Water Sewerage Corporation towns by 2020. Beyond this extremely ambitious target for the sub-sector, the Sustainable Development Goals Target 6 aims to "achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all" by 2030.
President Yoweri Museveni commissioning the Lirima Large Gravity Water Flow Scheme in Manafwa district early this year. The project will ensure that over 78,000 people in Namisindwa, Manafwa and Tororo district have access to clean water
This raises the bar even further as the SDG indicator — proportion of the population using safely managed drinking water services — implies that water is located on premises, available when needed and free from contamination.
Unfortunately, of the 9.16 million urban dwellers living in the capital Kampala, the 41 municipalities and 210 town councils, about 2.6 million remain without piped water services.
Not included in these figures is the population of town boards, for which no data is available, as well as an additional population of more than three million people who live in more than 1,100 semi-urban rural growth centres that are likely to become gazetted urban centres in the near future.
"This scenario calls for further efforts to increase investment in water supply infrastructure to close the gaps and achieve the sector goals. Currently, sector financing for urban water is not increasing and even at risk to be reduced as some development partners are ending their support after decades of support,"says Stephen Mulondo, a safe water for all activist.
"There is also need for effective operation and maintenance and regulatory frameworks to ensure equity, affordability and sustainability of water and sewerage services in the longer term," Mulondo adds.
Water for production
Water for production refers to development and utilisation of water resources for productive use in crop irrigation, livestock, aquaculture, rural industries and other commercial uses. The current mandate for German Development Bank (KfW) facilities in Uganda is shared between water ministry and other ministries.
According to the sector performance report 2016/17, the water ministry is undertaking several programmes to provide water for production facilities in order to improve the livelihoods of the people in rural areas.
"It is constructing and rehabilitating earth dams and valley tanks mainly in the cattle corridor that stretches from Isingiro in southwestern Uganda to Karamoja in the northeast," reads part of the report.
The report adds that the government has the bulk water transfer programme which aims at supplying adequate amounts and quality of water all year round for multi-purpose use by conveying large quantities from places of plenty to places of scarcity. The ministry is also constructing irrigation schemes under the Farm Income and Enhancement and Forestry Conservation project.
Last year, the ministry added a total volume of 1.68 million cubic metres to KfW, and as such, the cumulative storage has increased from 37.185 million cubic metres, to 38.865 million cubic metres. Altogether, Uganda has a total of 1,172 valley tanks and 34 dams and of these, 85.2% are functional.
Challenges
The key challenge faced by the sector is limited funding to finance the sector's plans as detailed in the NDPII and the President's manifesto. The sector continues to receive around 3% of the national budget despite its strategic role in transforming Uganda into middle income status by 2020 and the economies of scale that would accrue thereof as a result of strategic investment in agriculture, health, industry energy and infrastructure sectors.
"As if that is not enough, releases made quarterly by the Government fall short of the annual and quarterly projections to allow realistic implementation of the planned activities. Over time, the sector has accumulated arrears that have affected the new projects' funding base, as subsequent releases are used to pay off pending payments and unfinished activities. This has affected the rate at which new projects are taken on due to delayed completion of old projects that are carried over the project's lifespan," the report says.
Central Umbrella of Water and Sanitation
Urban Water & Sewage Department
WATER AND SANITATION DEVELOPMENT FACILITY - CENTRAL
Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Program Phase II