KIRYANDONGO RESIDENTS STRUGGLE TO GET SAFE WATER

By Innocent Atuganyira
www.mknewslink.com

In Kiryandongo—

Villages in Kiryandongo district Bunyoro sub region Western Uganda are struggling with limited safe water sources available in their vicinity.
This was revealed by the District Water Officer Samuel Muhumuza during the launch of the drilling of 11 deep holes within the district at Nyakibete LCI in Kigumba Sub County on Friday.
Muhumuza added that according to Ministry of water and environment standards, one borehole serves a community of 400 people, but an average village in Kiryandongo district has 800 people which calls for an additional borehole.
However, because of limited funds most villages are allocated only one borehole irrespective of the number of people in the village.
Moses Kyawe the LCI chairman Nyakibete expressed his gratitude towards the government for providing his village with a deep borehole which will solve the problems of shallow wells drying up during the dry season.
“We have been fetching water from the swamps during the dry season because the shallow well available dries up and this puts our lives at risk of waterborne diseases.” Kyawe said.
Martin Jacan Gwokto the Chief Administrative Officer Kiryandongo urged the water source committee to be transparent and ensure functionality of the borehole at all times.
Gwokto added that the government is shifting the trend from boreholes to piped water systems so as to ensure a healthy and productive community which will contribute to the national economy.
The chief administrative officer also cautioned the contractor against shoddy works and delay in execution of the works so as to realize value for money.
Upon the completion of the boreholes, Edith Aliguma Adyeri the Kiryandongo district chairperson called upon the community to desist from the traditional thinking that swamp water is the best for their consumption.
“Some people think swamp water is the best, please don’t use it to avoid waterborne diseases,”Aliguma urged the community.
She further urged the households in Nyakibete to ensure sanitation in their homes with latrines and drying racks so as to effectively benefit from the borehole.

Safe water coverage in Kiryandongo district is at 71% and this calls for 6 billion shillings over a period of 5 years to reach 100 %.
Averagely Kiryandongo district receives 400 million shillings in a financial year to drill 10 deep boreholes.

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