Over 17,000 residents in Kitgum still lack access to safe water – Report

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Access to clean water sources within rural communities in Kitgum district has continued to persist.

This is revealed in a recent report on Water and Sanitation from the district local government indicating some 17,913 people in 62 villages across the district are living without safe water sources.

The report shows that as of June this year, some 3,564 households in nine sub-counties of Lagoro, Mucwini, Kitgum Matidi, Labongo Akwang, Labongo Amida, Omiya Anyima, Namokora, Orom and Labongo Layamo are in dire need of clean water.

The worst affected is Orom sub-county where a total of 22 villages don’t have access to clean water followed by Mucwini with 14 villages and Omiya Anyima where 11 villages still lack safe water points.

In Labworomor village in Melong Parish, Omiya Anyima sub-county, at least 393 people don’t have any clean water access in their area.

Christopher Opoka, 60, a resident of Labworomo village says they only have a single source of clean water shared by all the locals in the village.

He says the challenge has forced many to resort to trek a long distance to Pager River which is also shared with cattle.

Opoka has now called for an immediate intervention from the district local government leaders and key stakeholders to address the water challenges being faced in the area.

Julius Peter Otto, Omiya Anyima sub county LC III chairperson says that water challenges in villages across the sub-county has heavily affected the productivity of the locals.

Otto adds that due to limited water sources in the area, locals and animals are now sharing a river which is the only alternative water source serving hundreds of locals.

He appealed to the local government to consider extending piped water to rescue locals from health risks associated with using unsafe water points.

To address the challenges of access to clean water, Kitgum district local government recently allocated 325 Million Shillings for construction of ten new deep boreholes and rehabilitation of ten other broken boreholes this financial year.

The boreholes according to Emmanuel Lapyem, the secretary for Works and Technical Services at Kitgum district local government will be constructed in nine sub-counties with acute challenges of safe water sources.

Equally in the remote villages of Orom sub-county, a multi billion piped water scheme construction funded by African Development Bank- ADB through Ministry of Water and Environment commenced in July last year to address challenges of clean water access.

Safe water coverage in Kitgum district stands at 125.9 percent but access to clean water remains slightly lower at only 77.2 percent with an estimated population of 186,924.

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