Idrakua Lillian Amegovu

1. Water Safety Conference 2010 Idrakua Lillian Amegovu Drinking Water Safety Management Challenges in the Rural Area in Uganda and Government Interventions

2. Introduction • Population of Uganda estimated now to be 31.8 million • Rural population is 85% of total (27m) • Rural ‘Safe’ water coverage in is 65% (17.6m) • Sanitation coverage is 69.7% • Access to hand washing facilities is only 21% • Rural population served mainly by point water sources: • GFS, boreholes, protected springs and shallow wells • Shallow wells and protected springs constitute about 54% • of groundwater abstraction technologies Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

3. Challenge: Drinking Water Safety during Natural Disasters Safety of drinking water can not be guaranteed during floods and landslides: • During the 1997/98 El Nino floods cholera epidemic affected 47.759 people country wide out of which 1.955 died • In 2007, out of 345 water sources tested by different agencies, more than 57% were contaminated • 80% of protected springs were contaminated (graph) • There was an outbreak of cholera after the floods in eastern Uganda affecting 532 people & killing 31 • During the 2010 Bududa landslides and Butaleja floods, critical infrastructure including water sources were submerged, many water sources were contaminated and some cholera cases were reported E.coli=560 Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

4. Challenge: Groundwater Abstraction Technologies • Water quality is determined by the technology type used for abstraction: • Graph depicts compliance to E.coli during dry season for 429 improved drinking water sources in 13 districts • Prioritize poor technology options where WSPs are being introduced for small water supplies Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

5. Challenge: Naturally Poor Groundwater Quality National Water Quality database statistics • High iron levels: 0 – 5.440 mg/litre: GV is 1, MAC is 2. • Salty water in some regions and mainly crater lakes: Chloride: 0 – 69.036 mg/litre:GV is 250, MAC is 500. • Hard water: 0 – 8.200 mg/litre (CaCO3). GV is 600. MAC is 800. • High Flouride present in volcanic rocks in Western Uganda: 0 – 42.5 mg/litre: GV is 2, MAC is 4. key issue • Naturally poor water quality of improved water sources drives • communities back to using unsafe traditional water sources Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

6. Challenge: Drinking Water Contamination in Homes • Progressive deterioration from source to containers & storage due to poor personal and domestic hygiene and water storage practices • Health implication is several outbreaks of cholera and other water borne diseases despite the increasing national water and sanitation coverage Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

7. Challenge: Poor O & M • Several issues surround O & M: • ownership, resource constraints, spare • parts, non functional WUC etc • Poor O & M results in water contamination Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

8. E.Coli = TNTC Challenge: Urbanisation • Lack of a comprehensive urban planning policy • Public Health Act (2000) prohibits construction of pit latrines in urban centres; institutional framework for enforcement is weak • Consequently many towns & peri-urban areas have highly polluted water sources: • pit latrine construction near water sources • leaking septic tanks • faecal sludge dumping in the environment or drains during heavy rains • flying toilets Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

9. Government Interventions: Institutional and Legal Framework • The institutional framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRR) is the National Platform at the centre and District Disaster Committees are set up at LG level during emergencies • Grassroot structures for O & M: Water and Sanitation Committee/WUCs, Caretakers and Handpump mechanics. Functions of Caretakers & WUCs that are elements of WSP include • ensure that the source is well maintained e.g. clean surrounding, well • fenced, covered soak pit • carry out preventive maintenance of facility • ensure clean containers are used for collecting water • keep record on water source (documentation) • Existing structures at the community level can be built on when establishing a • comprehensive WSP for small water supplies Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

10. Government Interventions: Institutional and Legal Framework cont. • The National Water Quality Management strategy (NWQM); an attempt to mainstream WSP concept into the legal framework • recommends establishment of WSPs at all water facilities • proposes a 3-tier water testing laboratory which includes establishment of basic water testing laboratories for each water supply scheme • assigns local governments the role for operational water quality monitoring, maintaining hygiene at water sources and setting bye-laws Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

11. Government Interventions cont. • Demonstration Water Safety Plan at Kyenjojo Water Supply • Challenges • inadequate capacity of the private water operators • inadequate documentation of the system (designs and equipment) • Lack of record keeping • finding skilled team members was a problem • team members taking on additional roles on voluntary basis was an issue • maintaining a constant composition of trained team members and • identifying willing external stakeholders and engaging them. Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

12. Government Interventions: Groundwater mapping • Six set of maps produced for each district: • water sources location • groundwater potential • hydrogeological characteristics • water supply technology options, • water supply coverage and • groundwater quality maps. Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

13. Government Interventions: Using Appropriate Technologies • An Iron Removal Plant(IRP) has been piloted for on-site treatment of iron • An IRP combination of an aeration tray and a filtration unit • Efficiency of iron removal ranged from 58- 99% • main challenge of the technology is that slow flow rate of some IRPs discourage use by communities • Ecological sanitation is being promoted in areas with high water tables, soft formations, rocky grounds or limited space such as peri-urban areas Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

14. Government Interventions cont. • Development of Resource Materials • A Community Resource book: provides guidance on how to improve hygiene and sanitation practices at community and household level • Participatory Training of Trainers Manual: This material focuses on sanitation and hygiene, gender and HIV/AIDS • A Handbook on Safe Water Chain: provides information on how to maintain water safe from source, through collection, transportation to storage and consumption • Partnership with NGOs, CBOs and UN agencies in hygiene promotion and response to emergencies • Capacity building programs for LGs by central government (TSU) maybe good entry points for capacity development in WSPs Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia

15. Conclusion • Can the WSP concept be stretched to incorporate adaptation • measures to climate change and variability for water supplies? • Comprehensive WSP for small community water supplies should • built on existing grassroot structures • Development of appropriate resource materials/tools can help in • water safety management at the community level • Partnership with relevant stakeholders (NGOs, urban planners and • municipalities) is key for hygiene promotion and catchment • protection • For scaling up WSPs and enforcing compliance, include WSPs in • policies and performance contracts Water Safety Conference November 2-4 2010, Kuching, Malaysia