Improving Water and Sanitation in Kotido, Northern Uganda
During the past decades water system in Kotido has not found sanitized and healthy water for personal and agricultural consumption. Potential source of clean water supply has not yet established. Water piped sewerage system has not been introduced and the distance from villagers to Lake Victoria and other rivers as their source of water supply to sustain their needs makes it a bit complicated and less sufficient. Despite the significant sources of freshwater in the urban, rapid increase in population and pollution makes their resources unsafe and considerably not fitted for socio economic consumption. The villagers even rely on water rainfall accumulation which is one of their more important sources of water however the probability of rainfall is very low. Using these resources has become the sources of supplyesulting in increase in mortality rates especially among infants.
Finally during the early 19th Century’s an exceptional changes takes it place by reforming the water pipes and sewerage system in Kotido and other parts of Uganda. Centralization and distribution of water supply from rural to urban community has been introduced. Substantial resolution significantly attracted an international attention to establish support including addition of funds to re-establish an extensive study to promote effort in distributing safe and sanitized water for human consumption. Subsequently the system has grown into an institutional solution for servicing at least 23 major key cities including Kotido mainland.
Meanwhile in the latest news last April the first lady state minister for Kramoja affairs Janet, Museveni have spoken to Kotido she then observed that the provision of water piped in Health Care IV will regularly ensure that it will improve the health of women and children. She then added that the estimated 15,000 people in Kotido will have an access to safe drinking water. She then task the people women and children if they can irrigate the small garden in their homes this will improve nutrition and better yield in agricultural production even for personal consumption. Kotido will be a good example for any other town in using the priceless commodity which is clean water. “If we maintain the Kotido water works and keep all the boreholes in good working condition, the money from the Government will be used to construct more water sources instead for rehabilitation works,” Mrs. Museveni said.
However the study of Poverty Eradication Against Poverty (PEAP) and other Non Government Organization Shows that it would take about million US dollars are still needed to increase the coverage up to 95 percent to further improve its service.
It’s legal framework constitute primarily on consistent water sanitation program that will extensively institutionalize not just water distribution and sanitation but will promote key issues in establishing welfare to its people. According to Poverty Eradication Action (PEAP) Plan this will be the key for rapid economic development and social reform since the people will no longer have to use unsafe and unsanitize water. Their crops and agricultural endeavor will then lead to a progressive distribution plus the water born disease will be substantially eliminated.
The overall plan for good water management system that will continuously surpasses at least more that 29 primary objectives are as follows:
· Promotion of rational water use and management
· Promotion of the provision of a clean, safe, and sufficient domestic water supply to all people
· Promotion of the orderly development of water and its use for other purposes, such as irrigation and industrial use, among others, in ways that minimize harmful effects to the environment
· Pollution control and promotion of safe storage, treatment, discharge, and disposal of waste that may cause water pollution or other threats to the environment and human health.
The Government and their partners will be the one who will take control of its maintenance in order to fulfill its primary obligation to its people. On the other hand the National Water Policy (NWP) will adopt the objective of 1999 Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach to water supply distribution. They will focus on the recognition and economic value of clean and sanitize drinking water. They will also encourage the support of all villagers including women and children to use and treat the water carefully so as not to destroy their prime resources but to continuously improve their way of lives. The government is targeting at least at least 75 percent water distribution and at least 95 percent of sanitary coverage before the end of 2015.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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