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Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has set strict restrictions on the drilling of boreholes and underground water tanks to curb the problem of contamination in the area.
Engineer Emmanuel Mujuni, the Masaka area Manager for NWSC, observes that the restrictions include banning of drilling of unauthorised underground water tanks and boreholes within the precincts of the city, to safeguard communities from using contaminated water.
The pronouncement comes a month after the City Health Department released a report highlighting a rise in the prevalence burden of waterborne diseases that include dysentery, diarrhoea and typhoid, which arise from contamination.
Mujuni says that they considered it appropriate to invoke the Water Act, which gives the corporation the responsibility of ensuring that communities get clean and safe water that does not compromise their health standards.
He observes that their inspection teams have established that many commercial building owners in the city have made it a custom to drill boreholes and underground water tanks to supply their premises in total disregard of the public health control guidelines, hence exposing their clients and the members of the public to serious health risks.
As a remedy, Mujuni says that together with the Masaka City Health Team, they have resolved to clamp down on unauthorised water supply systems in the city to ensure public safety and proper health standards.
He adds they are also planning an operation on poorly constructed and maintained septic tanks in the city, indicating that these are also creating a public health menace in the area by contaminating other open public water sources, such as spring wells situated downstream.
According to him, the government is already undertaking a 120 billion shillings water project to expand water supply capacity in the area, thereby urging the communities to stop compromising their health with unsafe water supplies.
Doctor Patrick Kasendwa, the Masaka City Health Officer, says their operation is not going to compromise with anybody, arguing they want to eliminate the health risks that the community is facing.
According to him, despite the cautions from the city’s public health inspectors, some owners of the commercial buildings went ahead to drill the boreholes and underground tanks, which he however says are now going to be closed down.
However, Daniel Mugema, the Nyendo-Mukungwe Division Councillor for Bulayi ward, has appealed to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to be considerate to some communities, especially those that do not reliable supply of piped water.
“We have some schools and other social service delivery facilities where boreholes were drilled through community mobilisation, to solve the problem of unreliable water supply. It is just logical that some institutions are spared in the operation,” he says.
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