Water and Sanitation (WASH) - Nsamizi Training Institute For Social Development- Mpigi

Water and Sanitation (WASH)

Objective (i) : Supply of potable water increased or maintained

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is the second greatest priority for humanitarian attention. The water supply in all settlements is a major challenge due to unreliability, insufficiency, deteriorating quality of the raw water, high level of chemical contamination of the ground water and high operation and maintenance due to fragmentation of the water system. The current water facilities in the Nakivale settlement are comprised of piped water from three water treatment plants, 38 boreholes, 27 shallow wells, 4 motorized boreholes, and rainwater harvesting systems in institutions which amount to an average water availability of 18 l/p/d. Although this appears to be close to the UNHCR standard, the water is highly rationed with very expensive production costs and supported with a 15% water trucking system. In Oruchinga, there are two motorised boreholes, 08 shallow wells, and 10 hand pumps. Water trucking is now at 1%. Water capita p/d is at 22.8 l/p/d. For both Nakivale and Oruchinga, the pipe work coverage is still low and a big section of the beneficiaries still travel long distances to fetch water. More still on water production, it is evident in the settlements of Nakivale and Oruchinga that water is not available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This is as a result of the rationing that is done as a result of low production.

The current situation of the WASH systems in Nakivale doesn’t have a sustainable operation and maintenance model. This is most important part on any WASH project given that their operation and maintenance are extremely expensive in buying the inputs for water treatment, system extensions and repairs and payment for personnel.

More to that, with future plans of the greater Kagera water system planned by the Ministry of Water and Environment and our future need for handing over the settlement water system to the National Water and Sewerage cooperation management, the existing system layout poses a big hindrance.

Summary of activities: Improvement of water treatment system (floater, additional treatment tanks and rehabilitation of existing tanks), metering of institutions and administrative units, Installation of an Aeration systems, Installation of new tap stands, Procurement of Reagents For routine water testing, Purchase of chlorine for water treatment, -Installation of a chlorine douser iron content, Installation of power-line to different water plants, Rehabilitation of boreholes, Comprehensive water testing for all water intake sources, routine water quality surveillance for free residual chlorine, turbidity, ecoli, PH, total dissolved solids, and water pipeline extesions.

Nsamizi WASH staff repair of Kabahinda main water supply pipeline

Metering of public tapping points in nakivale

Measuring raw water parameters at the fountain aerator of basecamp water plant

Sensitising the community members of Rubondo (new arrival villages) on importance of water user committees.

Monitoring a newely installed water pump that was funded by Nsamizi in Misiera water serving station

Objective (i) Population lives in satisfactory conditions of sanitation and hygiene

In the Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee settlement, 79% and 70% respectively of respondents surveyed indicated that they cannot afford soap for hand washing; 54.5% and 60% respectively of respondents attribute the problems of latrine construction to lack of construction materials, while the proportion of latrines in institutions is below minimum standard for UNHCR as well as national standards set by the Government of Uganda. WASH is the second priority, with PoCs facing risks of poor hygiene and sanitation and disease outbreak, including water related, as well as attacks by wild animals. As further evident by findings from Site Fact Sheet survey conducted, there are major disparities in latrine coverage within institutions and households. The current coverage of Nakivale and Oruchinga are at 60% and 68% respectively. Schools also do not have washrooms for adolescent girls, and above all no hand washing facilities exist. Assessment findings indicate that there are on average ratio of 1:104 latrine stances for girls and 1:75 latrine stances for boys for Oruchinga and 1:150 for girls and 1:162 for boys in Nakivale. And overall average is 1 stance: 99 pupils. Health centres have dilapidated sanitary facilities (with one stance to 144 people OPD) and most need rehabilitation and decommissioning of old non-drainable full latrines. All these need quick interventions to reduce risks posed.

Summary of activities: Improve latrine coverage at institutional Incidence of open defecation reduced to a minimum, Improve sanitation and hygiene practices by the PoCs, Improve hygiene practices, Vectors controlled through fumigation, Diseases reduced to minimum via provision of hand washing facilities to institutions, Empting of drainable latrines, conduct sensitization on hygiene and sanitation, formation of sanitation clubs in schools, Provision of construction materials for latrine, and solid waste management at the basecamp and institutions through maintenance of rubbish pits and dustbins.