In some villages of Kayunga District, residents move long distances in search of safe and clean drinking water.The situation is even worse in th...
Published on by Trudi Schifter, CEO and Founder AquaSPE
The situation is even worse in the cattle-corridor sub-counties of Bbaale and Galilaaya with low water table, making it hard to drill boreholes.
The district water engineer, Mr Robert Drate, says while the water coverage in the district stands at 71 per cent, with only about 11 per cent of the population having access to piped water, they have embarked on a programme to promote water harvesting technology in areas where water coverage is still poor.
To promote the technology, the Ministry of Water and Environment through Appropriate Technology Centre (ATC), has trained a group of residents, mostly women, in the construction of water harvesting tanks. So far, 13 women have been trained.
The ATC coordinator, Ms Ashabrick Nantenge, says: “Women have been walking long distances looking for water. We have decided to put them at the forefront of the construction process,” Ms Nantenge says.
“Besides, these women will also earn a living because they will be paid for constructing the tanks,” she adds.
Ms Nantenge says a group of 13 women with the help of a few men have constructed a water harvesting tank with a capacity of 100,000 litres at Wampongo Mosque in Busaana Sub-county.
The tank that was commissioned at the weekend will serve worshippers at the mosque, a primary school and the surrounding community.
Mr Alfred Okot, the permanent secretary at the Minister Water and Environment, says the harvested water will be used for drinking, washing and micro irrigation of crops during the dry spells .
The 2014 National Population and Housing Census indicates that of the 75,962 households in Kayunga District, 63,788 (84 per cent) have houses constructed using permanent roof materials. Something that will aid water harvesting.
About the tanks
The size of the tank has a capacity of more than 30,000 litres. The facility also has a provision of diverting the first dirty water from pouring into the tank. The tank has three outlets meaning three people can fetch water at the same time. It also caters for people with disabilities.
https://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/How-Kayunga-women-aid-water-harvesting/688334-5593524-1rgu9oz/index.html
Media
Taxonomy
- Water Harvesting
- Rainwater Harvesting