900 residents hit by water scarcity in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | More than 900 residents of Tee-Ladwong village in Patiko Sub County, Gulu District are in dire need of clean and safe water.

Several water sources especially shallow wells and spring wells in the area have either dried up due to the dry season or contaminated by livestock. The available community boreholes have also broken down and require repair.

60-year-old Margret Auma, a grandmother in the village living with 16 children says they are forced to trek more than 6 kilometers to fetch water from a nearby borehole in a neighbouring sub-county. She explains that the family members are now unable to easily access clean water for domestic use like bathing, washing and cooking. She revealed that some livestock has already died due to lack of water for drinking.

The LCI Vice-Chairperson Tee-Ladwong village, James Okot says that clean water scarcity is now a serious threat to the wellbeing of the residents. He explained that most residents trek to the neighbouring Owalo and Palaro sub-counties for clean water.

Margret Arach, the Patiko Sub County Chairperson says that they have lobbied for 47 boreholes to be sunk in different villages. 

According to Arach, Patiko has at least 65 different water sources that include shallow wells, springs wells and deep boreholes with their coverage and functionality rated 77 and 78 per cent.

The Gulu District Water Officer Bosco Kilama, however, revealed that the current water crisis is not only limited to Patiko. He attributed the problem largely to poor management of the water sources by the community themselves.

Available information from the District Water Department indicates that clean water coverage in Gulu stands at 59.2 per cent against the projected target of 80 per cent overall. The District has a total of 692 different water sources with their functionality standing at 97% as of June 2020.

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