In the light of experience - water policyand usage in Ugandaby George Bagamuhunda and Gilbert Kimanzi

The reality of why and how often people use theirwater supply is often very different to what wasenvisaged by donors, planners, andimplementors. Constant policy review in the lightof realities is a must - but is it practical?

priority accorded to sanitationcompared to water supply (peoplerequest water rather than sanitationfacilities).

Further research is needed into whatcauses the deterioration of water qual-ity. and at what point within the 'waterchain'. This would help direct the

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relevant health messages to mll1lmlZethe problem. In Uganda, there is anurgent need to launch an acceleratedprogramme for sanitation at thenational and regional levels, lI1corpo-rating all stakeholders.

QuantityUganda's national water policy advo-cates 20 to 25 litres per person per day,to be supplied from a protected springor a gravity-scheme tap-stand. Theseshould be located within 1500 metresof all households.

The survey in south-west Uganda -which incorporated two schemes -found that people were still using as lit-tle as 7 litres per person per day. Con-sumption levels of water did notincrease to the expected 20-25 IIe/d,

Qualityconsumption?The objective of Uganda'sgravity-flow water-supplyschemes is to provide fami-lies with water of adequatequality (0 to 5 faecal col-iforms (FC) per 100ml)within a walking distanceof 500m. The water qualityat the point of consumptionlargely depends on those fam-ilies' hygiene behaviour.

In Uganda, sanitationimprovements and health edu-cation are carried out by Min-istry of Health extension staffas part of the Government'sintegrated water-improvementdevelopment programme. Inrural areas, civil servants holdmeetings with villagers beforeand after the construction ofwater schemes to ensure thatwith the new facilities comesa marked improvement inboth water quality and sanita-tion in and around their Families Ileed good-quality wliferhomes. a reasollable walking distallce.

A survey of 30 homes insouth-west Uganda showed

that 62 per cent of families hadcontamination levels at thepoint of consumption higherthan those found at the source;while a study carried out ineastern Uganda in 1995 by theRural Water and Sanitation Pro-ject in Eastern Uganda(RUWASA) showed that of the57 homes sampled, only ninehad safe water at the point ofconsumption.

The reasons for the deterio-ration of water qualitybetween source and point ofconsumption are mainly attrib-uted to poor hygiene practicesin the home; poor environ-mental sanitation around thehome, especially low levels oflatrine coverage; and the low

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IN MANY OF Uganda's gravity-flowwater schemes, the water quality at thepoint of consumption is often wellbelow the target, the actual per capitaconsumption can be less than one-thirdof what was originally budgeted, andschemes are not being sustained by thecommunities and water committees inthe way planners hoped.

The blueprint for management of thecountry's water resources - the WaterPolicy Document - is meant to guidethe sector in the planning, mobiliza-tion, construction and sustainability ofcommunity water supplies. The Policyis meant to serve the people, but expe-rience of its implementation pointstowards reassessment if the needs ofthe beneficiary communities are reallygoing to be met.

According to the Document, thewater-resources sector aims to 'manageand develop the water resources ofUganda in an integrated and sustainablemanner, so as to secure and providewater of adequate quantity and qualityfor all social and economic needs, withthe full participation of all stakeholders,so as not to leave the future generationsany worse off than ourselves.'

WATERLINES VOL. 16 NO.3 JANUARY 1998 19

even for those with access towaterpoints located within around-trip of 500m. Itis questionable whetherimprovements in water sup-ply, without parallel improve-ments in hygiene behaviour,increase the levels of waterconsumed. The further awaythey are from the waterpoint,the more likely it is that peo-ple will use less water, ratherthan make extra trips.

Further research is alsoneeded to find out what is arealistic and necessary stan-dard level of water consump-tion. For example, in a poorvillage where the standard ofliving is low, recommendedconsumption rates of 20-25I/c/d may be unrealistic311yhigh. What constitutes an adequareamount of water to allow for adequatehygiene, and, consequently, goodhealth?

A In/ter-pipe in the Ruentores mountains of Uganda:~ Bwera District: the localcommunities have 110 control over water pressure.

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Urhan Uganda - progress is WIde/way to address the country \ water needs.

Water committeesIn the water and sanitation sector, theconcept of sustainability is based ontwo assumptions:• communities will sustain their waterscheme if they are involved in its plan-ning and construction; and• water and sanit3tion committees andthe scheme caretakers will continue toperform their roles and responsibilitiesvoluntarily, with minimal or no exter-nal facilitation.

But experience has shown that theseassumptions should be challenged: com-mittee members and caretakers loseenthusiasm once the scheme is up andrunning; and, understandably, it is diffi-cult to maintain the spirit of voluntarismover time: villagers are unwilling to

maintain a water source with no payorreward, while water committee mem-bers have no legal mandate to levy userfees, even for maintenance purposes.

Remedies• Water and sanitation committeesshould be linked to the existing localadministration structures; they could besub-committees of, for example, a sub-county committee in charge of waterand health. This would both ensure thatvacancies on the water committeemembers are filled, and that the watercommittees are given the powers tolevy user fees for construction or main-tenance (local administrations usuallyhave a mandate to collect taxes or levyfunds for 'self-help projects').

• Caretakers and scheme attendantsshould be paid a monthly wage, fundedby the appropriate level of local gov-ernment, say, the sub-county level,where 65 per cent of all revenue col-lected is retained. This system willfunction best where local governmentstructures are strong.• Water and sanitation committeesneed to be able to call on continuousrefresher training.

The Ugandan Government hasrecently passed on the responsibilityof maintaining water schemes to theusers. This management capacity hasto be built up Over time. Water pro-grammes need to do further researchto identify the back-up support andtraining needed by beneficiary com-munities to allow the concept of sus-tainability to develop.

Water-supply programmes Indeveloping countries are likely tocontinue to have a limited impacton health, given the present low lev-els of education and poor sanitationcoverage. Water policy needs tobe reviewed continually in the lightof experience so that nationalprogrammes address real needseffectively and sustainably.

George Bagamulrwlda imp/elllellls gravity '<'ater-supply schemes iI/ sOIllIr-west Uganda. througlrthe Chllrch of Uganda. Gilherl Kinum:i workswitlr the Directorate of Water De\'elopmem.Uganda~' principal g(wemment departmellldealing lI'ith \I'a/er and sunitatiol/. The alltlrorscan be cOlllaclelf al Kige:i Diocese w.:lterDepartment. PO Box], Kobale, Uganda. Tellfax:+25648624/8/.

20 WATERLINES VOL. 16 NO.3 JANUARY 1998