MINISTRY OF WATER & ENVIRONMENT
SELF SUPPLY
EXPERIENCES IN UGANDA
A Compilation of the Case Studies on Self Supply
presented at the 3rd National Learning Forum-City
Royal Hotel, December 5 - 6, 2011
© This publication is a collaborative effort under the Steering Committee on self supply of the Ministry
of Water and Environment, 2012
Acknowledgements
The Ministry of Water and Environment acknowledges the financial support of UNICEF Uganda and the
following agencies in the organisation of the Self supply Forum
C
ND
A
ATER A
SS
INW
O
RA
N
UGA
TIO
IA
URWA
We also acknowledge the following facilitators of the forum
Eng. Ian Arebahona (MWE)
Ms Grace Wako (DANIDA)
Mrs. Alice Anukur (WaterAid in Uganda)
Dr. Isaac Mutenyo (ATC)
Ms Christine Nabachwa (TSU 5)
Mr. Andrew Mbiro (ADB)
Solomon Kyeyune (NETWAS-U)
International Presenters
Mr. Lemessa Mekota (Ethiopia)
Mr. Morris Chimbeta (WaterAid in Zambia)
Mr. Andre Olschewsk (SKAT)
Compiled and edited by: Solomon Kyeyune - NETWAS Uganda
James Kiyimba - WaterAid
Spera Atuhairwe - WaterAid
Joel Kiwanuka - Ministry of Water and Environment
Maria Seruwo - Ministry of Water and Environment
Lillian Nangendo - Ministry of Water and Environment
Peter Magara – IRC / Triple S
Chemisto Satya Ali - SNV
Dorothy Baziwe - Uganda Rain Water Association
Cover Photo: Household rain water harvesting jar built on self supply basis in Gomba District – Rain
water harvesting is one of the self-supply initiatives being promoted in Uganda, Photo: WaterAid/James
Kiyimba. Picture 2: An example of a rope pump being promoted in Uganda (Photo: Joel Kiwanuka)
The publication can be accessed on: www.wateraid.org/uganda or https://sites.google.com/a/
washuganda.net/self-supply-forum-2011
MINISTRY OF WATER & ENVIRONMENT
SELF SUPPLY
EXPERIENCES IN UGANDA
A Compilation of the Case Studies on Self Supply
presented at the 3rd National Learning Forum-City
Royal Hotel, December 5 - 6, 2011
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
iv
Table of contents
Introduction1
Chapter 1: Enabling policies that support self-supply and encourage flexibility
2
Up scaling Access to Safe and Reliable Water through Self Supply in Uganda
2
The Legal Frame Work of self Supply in Uganda
9
Sanitation Strategies and approaches: The link between sanitation and self-supply promotion
16
Chapter 2: Financial Support and Mechanisms of Microfinance
22
Financing Domestic Rain Water Harvesting in Uganda
22
Putting Women at the fore front of Self Supply: A case of Katosi Women’s Development Trust
25
Chapter 3: Technology Options in Self Supply
29
Using Fabricated Tools to provide Water sources: A case of Yumbe District
33
The Challenges of self Supply – A Case of a family in Kitezi-Kabaga Estate
36
Chapter 4: Institutional Support for Self Supply Initiatives without stifling Community Initiatives
41
Enhancing Safe and Reliable Water Supply through Self Supply: A case of Iganga District – Uganda
41
Improving Access, Reliability and Quality of Self Supply Sources In Amuria District
45
Promoting self supply: the process and lessons of Jinja District Local Government
49
Chapter 5: Enhancing Private Sector and marketing products/services
52
Conclusions and Recommendations
57
1
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Introduction
Progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for water supply even though is fairly on track in Uganda, 35% of the population
lack access to safe and reliable water supply. Consequently, increasing numbers of households have improved their own water supply in small and affordable steps using their own resources (self supply).
Over the past 14 years, the government has undertaken studies and supported pilot projects for domestic roof water harvesting and incremental
improvements to shallow wells by households. The projects were primarily
implemented by NGOs. More recently the Ministry of Water and Environment
(MWE) encouraged District Local Governments (DLGs) to construct domestic
roof water harvesting facilities for demonstration purposes; sensitized DLGs
and NGOs about the concept of self supply; and developed a strategy for
accelerating self supply (2011- 2015).
In a bid to explore, share and learn from existing self supply initiatives, this
forum was organized by the Ministry of Water and Environment in partnership
with Network for Water and sanitation (NETWAS), Appropriate Technology
centre (ATC), Sustainable services at Scale (Triple-S), Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV), International Water and Sanitation centre (IRC),
Uganda Rain Water Association (URWA), Uganda Water and Sanitation NGO
Network (UWASNET) and WaterAid in Uganda with support from United Nationals children Education Fund (UNICEF).
The aim of the forum was to provide a platform for reflection on the effectiveness of the existing self supply initiatives. Twelve self supply experiences/
cases were documented, presented and deliberated. These provided actions
aimed at increasing coverage and functionality of the rural water supply systems; and consolidation of the National Self Supply Action Plan.
The cases were organized along the pillars of self supply that include:
• Policies that support self supply
• Private sector experiences/ capacity in respect to self supply
• Technologies in self supply
• Institutional support to self supply
• Financing mechanisms for self supply
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of various individuals with
whom we have worked together to make this publication and forum a reality.
First of all, I would like to appreciate the people who took time to document
the experiences that are presented in this document. Secondly, I thank the
organizers who took time to plan and effect the realization of the forum these
include representatives from the MWE, NETWAS, UWASNET, URWA, IRC, SNV,
Triple S, WaterAid and UNICEF. Thank you for your time and expertise. Last
but not least I thank the participants for the deliberation and contribution
they have made.
As we promote a dynamic and sustainable Water and Sanitation sector, let us
remember that learning has a price though failing to learn has even a higher
price. Therefore it is necessary to organize time and space for reflection if we
are to do better and improve services.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
2
Chapter 1: Enabling policies that support self-supply and
encourage flexibility
Up scaling Access to Safe and Reliable Water through Self Supply in Uganda
By Kiwanuka Joel- Principal Sociologist- Ministry of Water and Environment Uganda
Summary
The Government of Uganda (GoU) and its Development Partners (DPs) have been exploring options for
greater investments in water supply by users themselves (self-supply) to complement government efforts
in water provision. Over the past 14 years, several activities to promote self-supply including research,
demonstration studies, and communication and promotion campaigns have been undertaken. During
the process of implementation there have been a number of achievements, while the Government and
its partners have also encountered a number of challenges with respect to self-supply. These have
offered a number of lessons that form the basis of accelerating self-supply in Uganda. This paper
documents the story of self-supply in Uganda, with key lessons relevant to accelerating self supply in
Uganda and beyond.
Introduction
Uganda has been fairly successful at increasing access to improved water supplies in rural areas,
from about 20% in 1991(Danert 2010) to an estimated 65% by 2011 (MWE 2011). Despite the reported
achievement, it is becoming apparent that Uganda may not achieve the Millennium Development Goals
and national targets on water coverage. The reasons for failure to achieve the targets include increasing
population, stagnating level of funding, an increased percentage of costs required for administrative due
to the formation of new districts, the related decreasing economies of scale when implementing smaller
construction projects, the running out of cheap water point technology options (springs and shallow
wells) for the areas still un served, and the rising cost of materials and fuel.
Every year, hundreds of rural householders and small groups invest in traditionally dug wells, scoop holes
and rainwater harvesting technologies, to provide convenient water supplies which they manage and
maintain themselves (Self Supply). Many rural people value these water sources for their convenience,
taste, productive use and, most importantly, the actual ownership and control bestowed. However,
policymakers tend to regard them as a liability to be replaced rather than improved or augmented, and
rural water supply strategies continue to concentrate on communal supplies for groups of 200 to 500
people.
What is self-supply?
Sutton (2008) defines self-supply as the improvement to household or community water supply through
user investment in water treatment, supply, construction and upgrading, and rainwater harvesting. It
is based on incremental improvements with technologies affordable to users. This self-help approach
is complementary to con­ventional communal supply, which is generally government-funded and which
forms the back­bone of rural water supply. However the latter is not equally sustainable everywhere, and
is inadequately funded to reach MDG target coverage in sub-Saharan Africa. Self-supply at household
or community level generally implies strong ownership but also a sharing of the supply with those
households nearby, often at no charge, offering effectively a pri­vately managed communal service. All of
the ‘un served’ population use Self Supply, as do an unknown proportion of those regarded as served.
Pillars/ building blocks for Self Supply
The success of self-supply is majorly dependent on the following
3
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
• Enabling policies that support self-supply and encourage flexibility
• The ability and willingness of Government, NGOs and other supporting institutions to offer technical
advice and technology but without stifling community initiatives
• The availability of financial support and mechanisms-microfinance to private individuals,
communities and the private sector that are desirous of investing in self-supply initiatives
• Enhancement of private sector skills including manufacturers, Hand pump mechanics, masons, well
diggers and traders in production and marketing services
This paper documents the story of self-supply in Uganda and on-going initiatives to ensure that selfsupply becomes a mainstream and accepted service delivery model within the Government, donor, and
community as well as among water users in rural areas.
Why Self Supply in Uganda
Self-supply is increasingly being accepted as a complementary option for water provision due to the
following reasons:
1. Slow progress to national targets for Rural Water Supply. In 2011, MWE reported that access to an
improved water supply in rural areas is 65% the same as 2010 and 2009. Access has only risen by an
average of 1.5% per year since 2003. If these trends continue, the country will not achieve its National
Target of 77% by 2015. Keeping up with the fast growing rural population (3.2% per year) is proving
difficult. Further, as coverage increases it becomes increasingly difficult to provide new services and
keep old ones working. In addition to the need for additional finance for rural water supplies service
delivery, the slow progress suggests that new approaches may also need to be fully considered.
2. People are already investing in their own water supplies. Self Supply exists throughout Uganda.
Everyone without access to a water supply which has been improved with Government or NGO support
uses either: a traditional unprotected water source; a supply which has been upgraded to a certain
extent or an improved source which has been paid for by the owners themselves. In addition, people
with access to a conventional supply but at distance or with too many users have invested in their
own supplies. There are also people who have installed their own supplies because they want to make
productive use of water (e.g. for a hotel, livestock watering, brewing, gardening). At a national level,
the inventory data collected for the Water Supply Atlas 2010 indicates that private (self-supply) funding
to water supply amounts to 8.4%. Government funding amounts to 59.8%, and NGO funding amounts
to 27.3%; this indicates significant funding by individuals and calls for efforts to further explore this
avenue.
3. Self-Supply can reduce pressure on community supplies (hand pumps and piped). In areas of unreliable
piped water supply, there is a push factor to provide back-up supplies for when electricity is out
or when pressure on the network is high such that an area does not receive water. For hand pump
supplies, the push factor is more that of distance (500-1000m and beyond) and of long queues which
result from high user numbers. In both cases additional sources reduce pressure on public supplies
and offer back-up.
4. Few countries manage universal coverage without Self Supply. In developed countries it is unusual for
the public sector to attempt to try and cover everyone for water supply. It is acknowledged that for
universal coverage, some people usually more remote and scattered communities, will have to provide
for themselves. For example in the USA 22% of rural households (almost 14.5 million people) provide
their own supply (American Well Owners Association 2007). In Vietnam Quang Nam province, almost
every household has its own well with an electric pump or a shared one with 2-3 households, being
used for water-based businesses (Noel S. Soussan J. Thao NP 2006). About a third of Indonesian rural
water supply is said to be Self-Supply (Source WSP Indonesia) and it is common throughout Asia and
Latin America. In these cases government helps with advice, sometimes a subsidy, but most cost is
borne by the user.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
4
5. Productive water use is easier with Self Supply. Developing productive use with community supplies
usually proves very difficult. Questions of land ownership, who will look after the crops, who will benefit
from the sale, how to divide up water, land and/or income all usually prove almost insurmountable
difficulties. Some examples can be found but in general the bulk of productive use comes from
privately owned wells where the owner can decide how much water to use and when, and gets direct
financial benefit which can be ploughed back into further supply up-grading. In Jinja district most of
the private supplies identified so far are for productive use or institutions. There are numerous other
examples of self-supply sources being used to water vegetables, bananas or sugar cane.
History and status of self-supply in Uganda
1. Traditionally communities and private individuals have owned and managed water sources with
minimal government support. The technologies involved included springs, rain water harvesting on
banana stems and collection in containers. During the colonial period large water storage systems
were particularly constructed at administrative buildings
Rainwater harvesting in a sauce pan
2.1997 witnessed the unsuccessful re-introduction of institutional rainwater harvesting collection. The
limitations in managing these facilities led to the shift to household collection and storage (Domestic
Roof water Harvesting). In the same year the Uganda Rain Water Harvesting Association (URWA) was
established to promote Domestic Roof water harvesting technology, and has done much to raise
awareness and identify potential and technical solutions.
3.2003 – 2004 the GoU prepared a strategy for rainwater in Uganda, centering on promotion and
capacity building of communities and the development of enterprise to provide facilities. It divided the
promotion of the technologies into an NGO delivery mode, involving promotion and capacity building
of communities and a private sector mode, which is based on the development of enterprises to
provide facilities. Domestic Roof water Harvesting started to be included in the activities of other NGOs
throughout the country. Most of these organisations were building facilities for water users. Some were
training masons and women’s groups to construct facilities. The usual concept was to support the
masons to construct demonstration facilities to trigger other households to invest their own financial
resources in them. Traditional savings groups, with revolving loans were among the strategies used
by households to finance construction. In 2004 MWE further supported the piloting of Domestic Roof
Water Harvesting, through NGO delivery mode, sending signal of growing government support of
technology.
5
Photo: NETWAS
Domestic Roof Water Harvesting Tank
in Bugiri District
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
4.2005: scoping study on privately owned ground
water undertaken in 12 districts in Uganda. Given that
considerable research on Domestic Roof water Harvesting
had already been carried out, the scoping study focused
on groundwater source improvements, with field work
in the east of the country The study revealed that there
was much more household investment in improving
groundwater sources than had previously been realised.
The study reported that there was sharing of private
sources with neighbours often for no charge. The
study brought to light several barriers to self supply
including official discouragement of what are regarded
as poor quality supplies; lack of mechanisms to support
individual rather than communal ventures; blind spot/
lack of awareness in recognising what people already do
for themselves and the inability of most to reach high
enough up the ladder of improved technologies to be
able to adopt acceptable technologies in one step. It
also developed a scoring system for supplies which gives
more weight to users’ values rather than just those of
planners/ policy makers
5.In 2006, District Local Governments were allowed to
construct demonstration Domestic Roof water Harvesting
facilities and train masons from their Water and Sanitation
Conditional Grant (finding transferred from central to
local government specifically for water and sanitation
project implementation by District Local Governments).
Domestic Roof water Harvesting was first included in
national safe water coverage estimates in 2006. District
local government constructed Domestic Roof Water
Harvesting facilities (2199 in 2007/8; 773 in 2008/9 and
810 in 2009/10) (MWE 2008, 2009 and 2010).
6.2006- 2008 pilot study on supporting households to
improve ground water sources undertaken by two NGOs
in Bugiri and Amuria districts. The study results indicated
the potential of self supply to serve many more people
at low cost than through the conventional approach and
with a greater degree of cost sharing between government
and the community. The study further indicated a high
degree of ownership for self supply sources resulting into
high functionality and sustainability, when compared to
communal water sources. More information about the
process, achievements and lessons learned during the
pilot are published electronically on the RWSN website
(www.rwsn.ch)
7. 2009 -2011, 32 District Local Governments and 38 NGOs
in East and Central Uganda, sensitized in self-supply
initiatives and several districts and NGOs promoting selfsupply initiatives. The promotional activities are however
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
6
affected by the following challenges.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
The lack of guidelines on technologies options, specification and technical advice from government,
Inadequate financing mechanisms,
Insufficient promotion and training materials within Uganda
The weak private sector to provide services and products for self-supply and
The lack of policies and guidelines on self-supply which contributes to an enabling environment.
8.2010-2011 a comprehensive self-supply guiding framework was developed and is currently being
operationalized. The framework sets out a road map for accelerating self-supply in Uganda by
addressing or eliminating the above mentioned challenges. The major strategies in the framework
include the following:
a. Production of a set of guidelines on options for water source improvements for Ground water
sources and Domestic Roof Water Harvesting technologies
b. Community sensitization / mobilization, communication and promotion to be preceded by the
development of a Mobilization Strategy, awareness materials (posters, signposts, films, pamphlets,
radio materials), and technology models.
c. Construction of demonstration facilities in at least 6 focal districts to demonstrate low cost step
by step incremental improvements in water supply.
d. Capacity building of local private enterprises (masons, hand pump mechanics, artisans) as well as
local government extension staff (County water officers, Community Development Officers, Health
Assistants), political leaders and other key institutions in technical, business, promotion and
marketing skills for self-supply.
e. Monitoring, documentation and dissemination of results, experiences, and lessons learnt as well
as the challenges of implementing this approach from the perspective of users, local enterprises,
local government extension staff and politicians.
Main results and lessons learnt
Main results
Data from the Uganda Water Supply Atlas 2010 indicates that private funding to water supply amounts
to 8.4%. Government funding amounts to 59.8%, and NGO funding amounts to 27.3%. This Indicates
significant funding by private individuals/ households. This significant level of private investment is
attributed to demonstration, promotional and capacity building initiatives undertaken by government and
its partners as well as households own initiatives.
Local Governments and NGOs are advertising and marketing the concept of self-supply to district
politicians, technical officers and communities. This has resulted into acceptability and appreciation of
the self-supply concept within local governments and communities as a viable option for accessing safe
and reliable water.
As a result of the above, the number of enquiries from private individuals/ investors on how to develop
private water sources has increased within districts. District water officers and extension workers are in
addition offering technical expertise to private water source developers.
200 Hand Pump Mechanics (HPM) in 52 districts have been sensitized to appreciate and support the
incremental step by step improvements in water supply development. HPMs have in addition been given
basic training on installation of appropriate technology water lifting devices including the windlass, and
the rope pump.
Baseline surveys of private supply owners have been carried out in Jinja and Iganga districts, showing
significant contribution of private supplies to coverage. Data from Iganga district shows that private
supplies equal some 10% of all supplies in the district, with about half of them reaching standards which
7
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
can be counted as contributing to access to safe water statistics, as defined by the Government of Uganda.
Retail outlets for pumps and spare parts have been established in the districts of Jinja, Iganga and Soroti
in Eastern Uganda. In Soroti district 10 Hand Pump Mechanics have formed a registered a companyORGESTONE Technical Services. This company provides a variety of services including Digging Shallow
wells, spring protection, installation of pumps, fabrication of windlasses and supply of spares. The
company customers include private individuals, districts and NGOs. The company installed 30 pumps in
FY 2010/11
A local NGO in Soroti district Pentecostal Assembly of God (PAG) has assisted communities to improve
over 120 wells by offering technical support and a few materials which the communities cannot afford.
A workshop in Katwe- Kampala (WATCOM technical services) has fabricated and installed 60 rope pumps
for private individuals and NGOs in Uganda.
Lessons
Self-supply has the potential to improve access to clean and safe water if supported by government. It
is therefore prudent that governments mainstream self-supply initiatives as one of the available service
models for water delivery.
Sustained advocacy, demonstration and mobilization are required to convince politicians, policy makers,
development partners, opinion leaders and communities. These require evidence to prove that new
approaches can work. In Uganda’s case it has been 20 years of advocacy and demonstration that has
resulted into increase appreciation and investment in self-supply.
District and NGOs need a lot of help with communicating and reporting. It is important for the NGOs and
Districts to document and communicate their experiences and thoughts for purposes of tracking progress,
learning and sharing within the sector. Simple reporting formats could be a starting point towards
improving the documentation and reporting.
The major challenge of the conventional approach to rural water supply is the achievement of long-term
functionality. It is far easier to construct water supplies than to ensure their continued functioning in a
good state of repair. With self-supply on the other hand, the actual individual ownership (notwithstanding
the fact that so-called “private” water sources are nearly always shared) is a foundation for of functional
sustainability. The owner has a strong personal stake in the continued functioning of the source, whether
or not he/she is making a small charge for water supplied to neighbours. This individual ownership offers
a stronger likelihood of on-going functionality than communal management.
Supporting institutions: The existence and availability of supporting institutions to promote, demonstrate,
train and avail technical expertise to local enterprise and communities, offers a strong impetus for
accelerating self-supply. For the case of Domestic Roof water harvesting, self-supply has done well within
districts and regions where NGOs have supported self-supply. A similar situation is currently being echoed
within districts that have been sensitized and have taken up self-supply initiatives.
Financing self-supply initiatives: In Uganda’s case District Local Governments have mainstreamed
self-supply activities in the planned and budgeted water and sanitation software activities including
coordination and advocacy meetings, training of private sector and monitoring. For the aforementioned
activities, no additional, specific self-supply expenditure was undertaken. However some self-supply
activities including demonstration and material support to the poorest sections of the community may
require specific budget lines for self-supply.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
8
Conclusions
Self-supply has potential to improve access to water among the un-served rural communities. Self-supply
should be viewed as complementary option for water service delivery. Governments and development
partners should therefore mainstream self-supply in water sector operations, for purposes of accelerating
access to safe and reliable water supplies
Further reading:
• Carter, R C, Mpalanyi, J M, & Ssebalu, J (2005). Self-help initiatives to improve water supplies in eastern
and central Uganda, with an emphasis on shallow groundwater: RWSN Self-Supply Flagship Case Study.
• Carter, R.C. (2006) Investigating options for self-help water supply: from field research to pilot
interventions in Uganda. RWSN Field Note.
• Carter, R.C, Mpalanyi. JM. and Kiwanuka,J (2008). The Uganda Self -Supply Pilot Project 2006-2008.
• Kerstin Danert & Sally Sutton (2010). Accelerating self supply, A case of Study from Uganda 2010. RWSN
field note
• Kiwanuka (2008) Achievements and lessons learnt from Uganda Self supply pilot project 2006-8, Paper
presented at the 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2009.
• MWE (2003). Rain Water Harvesting Strategy. Ministry of Water. Lands and Environment, Kampala
Uganda
• MWE (2008). Uganda Water and Sanitation Sector Performance Report. Ministry of Water and
Environment, Kampala uganda
• MWE (2009). Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report. Ministry of Water and
Environment, Kampala uganda
• MWE (2010). Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report. Ministry of Water and
Environment, Kampala uganda.
• MWE (2010). Uganda Water Supply Atlas. Ministry of Water and Environment, Kampala uganda.
• MWE (2011). Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report. Ministry of Water and
Environment, Kampala uganda.
• M.Mills, O (2006) Stakeholder perception of self-supply. Unpublished MSc thesis, Cranfield University,
UK.
• Noel S, Soussan J, Thao NP (2006) Productive use of water, a household level study from Vietnam,
WEDC 32nd conference proceedings
• Rogenhofer, E (2005) Self-supply in Busia town. Unpublished MSc thesis, Cranfield University, UK.
• Sutton, S (2008) An introduction to self-supply: putting the user first, incremental improvements and
private investment in rural water supply. RWSN Self -Supply (SS) Flagship.
• Sutton, S (2004) Preliminary desk study of potential for self supply in sub-Saharan Africa. Report for
WaterAid and the Rural Water Supply Network, October 2004.
9
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
The Legal Frame Work of self Supply in Uganda
Written by Rebecca Alowo and Spera Atuhairwe
Summary
Uganda has a relatively robust and clear water and sanitation policy framework which has led to
realisation of tremendous improvement in the provision of water and sanitation. However, it is not
clear if the current policy framework facilitates new initiatives as appropriate models for water service
provision. This paper analyses the current policies and how they promote or inhibit self-supply as a
relevant alternative in meeting water and sanitation needs of the underserved populations. It also
points out the way forward in terms of policy changes that can improve self-supply in the country.
Introduction
Self-supply according to Sutton (2008) is defined as the improvement to household or community water
supply through user investment in water supply, construction and upgrading and rain water harvesting.
It is based on incremental improvements with technologies affordable to users.
In Uganda, about 80% of the people reside in rural areas, where they access water from natural sources
and boreholes as opposed to piped water systems. A number of communities are also dependent on more
expensive and unsafe options for domestic and commercial water supply such as from privately owned
water tanker trucks, rivers, lakes or shallow hand dug wells. The situation has led to emergency of selfsupply initiatives and expansion of these infrastructures is therefore necessary.
Uganda’s MDG targets for improved sanitation and access to safe water supply within 1 km (rural) and 0.2
km (urban) of an improved water source is 77% and 100% by 2015. With a high annual population growth
of 3.4%, increase in facilities is likely to be countered by population rise, making the targets unattainable.
The Sector Investment Plan (SIP) and Sector-Wide Approach to Planning (SWAP) are very supportive of the
water sub-sector and in meeting water Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and National Development
Plan (NDP) targets. It is the belief that the self-supply could bridge the identified MDG gap.
There is willingness and commitment of water and sanitation sector actors in Uganda for reform that
will see improved and coordinated planning and increased donor support through the annual joint GoU/
Donors sector reviews to assess performance and set undertakings for improvement. It has been argued
that what is lacking is political will and prioritisation by those that make budget and central policy
decisions on water and sanitation issues.
This review is aimed at broadening understanding of self-supply in Uganda in relation to policy provisions
and their implications for WASH service delivery, identification of issues and gaps that will form the basis
for further research, policy influencing and engagement on self-supply.
Self-supply history in Uganda can be traced through from research work done by Richard Cater in 2005
to explore the extent to which the concept had an appreciation at various levels in the country. Right
from 1997 to 2003 the established Uganda Rainwater Association (URWA) has conducted considerable
research on rain water harvesting as the rural water supply network forum investigated ground water
improvements. Both took a three stage approach of introducing the idea, demonstrating what can be
achieved or done in terms of self-supply idea, increasing self reliance (communities/families to finance
their own water sources) and finally scaling up by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and
Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs). This aimed at increasing the number of households investing in
ground water source improvement and rainwater harvesting.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
10
Key Ugandan WASH Sector Timeline pertinent to self-supply
1962
Country Independence
1970-1986 Period of political unrest characterised by reversal of economic and social progress achieved
until then. Communities cater for their own water supplies especially unsafe water sources.
Growth of CSOs
1987 GoU introduces the Economic Recovery Plan. Urban and rural water supply systems start
receiving increased attention, and coverage levels start to increase.
1989
GoU issues the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Development Strategy and Action Plan
which redefines the strategy for the sector in the context of the changing conditions in
Uganda.
1993
Uganda Water Action Plan (WAP) is endorsed, adopting several important principles,
including the role of the private sector in water management and the recognition of water
as a social and economic good. The private sector provided support in the construction of
family wells.
1995
The constitution of Uganda affirms the human right to water. Water Statute/act is enacted,
providing for the use, protection and management of water resources and supply.
1999
The National Water Policy is established.
2000
Water sector reforms are introduced to ensure services are provided with increased
performance and cost effectiveness. More technologies categorised under self-supply
become prominent including rainwater harvesting
Policies and Legal frameworks supporting self-supply
Uganda has an array of government policies and legal frameworks that impact on improvement to household
or community water supply through user investment in water supply, construction and upgrading of rain
water harvesting: below are stipulations for self supply in our policy and legal framework
The Uganda Constitution 1995
The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995) provides the framework for decentralisation, and overall
principles of state policy. The constitution provides that the state shall promote sustainable development
and public awareness of the need to manage land, air and water in a balanced and sustainable manner
for the present and future generations. It also states that every Ugandan has the right to a clean and
healthy environment, while expecting citizens to play their part in creating this.
The Water Act 1995
The Water Statute (1995) provides the framework “...for the use, protection and management of water
resources and supply…” The Act aims to promote the rational management and use as well as the
provision of a clean, safe and sufficient supply of water for domestic purposes to all persons;
The National Water Policy
The National Water Policy (1999) “promotes an integrated approach to manage the water resources in
ways that are sustainable and most beneficial to the people of Uganda”. The approach is based on the
continuing recognition of the social value of water, while at the same time giving much more attention
to its economic value. The policy has been developed under the two categories of Water Resources
Management and Water Development and Use.
With respect to Water Resources, the Water Policy sets out the guiding principles, strategies (enabling
environment, institutional development, planning and prioritization, data collection and dissemination),
management functions and structure, roles of the private sector and NGOs.
11
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Land Act
The Land Act (1998) set out the various land tenure systems in Uganda. All land is vested in the citizens
of Uganda to be owned in accordance with customary, freehold, mailo and leasehold tenure systems. This
means that both Government and private owners of land can set up water supply facilities on land they
occupy and own. Land tenure issues are critical to the development of water infrastructure. Any location
of a water supply project must respect the proprietary rights of the landowner or occupier as protected
by the Constitution (1995) and the Land Act (1998).
Gaps in the Existing Policies
Though most of the above policies and legislation have been in force for several years, a number of them
stipulate individual rights of land owners of occupant to exploit the water resources for their use. There
are various clauses (e.g. clause 71 in the water act, 1995) that restrict the further sale and distribution
of this water. There is emphasis on the required quality of water which some self supply initiatives
cannot guarantee. In addition, many of them need revision in order to be more relevant to the new
sector dimensions such as emphasis on the increasing private sector participation, the need to make
decentralization work more effectively, the sector wide approach and the revision of the no subsidy policy.
In writing this paper; key questions around self supply were noted for instance how self-supply is done,
how it is promoted, how does one effectively stimulate people to construct their own water sources, how
do we ensure incremental improvements to address challenges of water quality, how do we popularise
the self-supply concept in order to generate demand and local financing.
Through a GAP analysis and reviewing available sector literature, key informant interviews, participation in
meetings and discussions within various sector stake holders (refer to interview list); specific self-supply
information was collected. This aimed at establishing the self-supply situation in the country, generate
ideas and understand what the country reports with regard to self supply in Uganda. For instance, the
sector performance report of 2010 had a special focus on self supply and it leads to question whether
there exist a clear monitoring and evaluation framework for measuring self-supply.
This review has identified some specific policy gaps that should be addressed:
• Lack of a definite policy on self supply that defines the scope for both rural and urban areas.
• No specific bye laws in place for self supply demanded that people construct private water systems;
this has been valuable for sanitation with regard to latrine construction under the public health act.
Having a bye law on self supply would facilitate its faster adoption at community level.
• Unclear systematic M&E framework for self supply that defines the expected output and the nature
of data that should be collected. Service and quality standards have not been defined to inform
performance monitoring and reporting
• The legal and institutional framework for the delivery of WASH services is stipulated but not very clear
on who and how self supply can be delivered at the different levels. What is the motivation for districts
to engage in triggering self supply on massive scales? Are there subsidies to trigger self supply? Is
there a clear approach for the promotion and communication on self supply in the country
• Targets for self supply not set for rural, urban and small towns in relation to their different needs.
• Much as pilot programmes have been undertaken by Government on self supply (Kiwanuka, 2009), no
specific budgets have been set aside in the overall sector budget framework and sector investment
plan to finance self supply initiatives. The financing mechanism has not been clearly defined.
• Minimum service levels have not been explicitly defined within the existing policies and strategies for
different target populations.
• There are no specific guidelines on technological options, minimum specifications, standards and a
step by step approach to promoting self supply in the country
• Definition of institutional roles relating to planning, financing, regulation, implementation, O&M, M&E
and programme support for self supply.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
12
A case for self-supply in the WASH sector
The WASH sector has an ambitious target to achieve 100% safe water coverage and 100% sanitation
coverage in urban areas by 2015, with an 80%-90% effective use and functionality of facilities. In the
rural areas the sector targets to achieve 77% safe water coverage and 95% sanitation coverage by 2015,
with an 80%-90% effective use and functionality of facilities. Can self supply contribute to achievement
of these targets as well as tackle the existing sector challenges?
1. A focus on Institutional Framework that draws attention away from promotion approach like self-supply
by district officials: New challenges are brought about by the ever-changing institutional structures
and new districts created by the central government in the last year the number of districts have
grown from 81 to 112. This jeopardizes the conceptualisation and implementation of sector activities
due to limited capacity in the new districts and focus on creation of new administrative units. There
is need to strengthen the institutional capacity at the district level to effectively promote and support
self-supply services.
2. Need to address equity and inclusion: The allocations made to the lower local governments and
communities do not necessarily address the needs of the most vulnerable groups such as the elderly,
PWDs, PLWHAs, women and children. These are often not necessarily served by providing large water
schemes or point sources which in most cases do not reduce the burden of access. Therefore, self
supply that is targeted at individual household level or fewer groups of households would help reduce
on the inequalities in access for which the sector has no performance indicators! There is need to
address the inequalities prevalent in the least served districts and ensure transparency in distribution
of funds at the national and local levels as well as between the urban and rural areas. This in part
depends on what is articulated in the consolidated Sector Investment Plan 2009. Government of
Uganda, too, needs to raise the sector ceiling and rationalize sub-sector allocations in order to meet
national targets and in turn the Millennium Development Goals target. Promotion of technologies
generally acknowledged under self supply greatly enables such equity and inclusive programmes.
3. There is a cost variation in provision of water and sanitation services and therefore a need to manage
and minimize unit costs in the provision of water supply services for both rural and urban areas.
Data and information on alternative low cost technologies and cost minimization options needs to be
documented and disseminated. Generally self supply is much cheaper than the conventional water
supply facilities.
4. Need for better Management of communal water points: it is easier to manage individual, household
facilities than it is to manage community owned water supply facilities. Self supply gives this option.
5. Services Level; the promotion of self-supply would increase direct access to water facility per house
hold in Uganda this would also improve standard of leaving of communities particularly in rural areas.
6. Inadequate functionality / water source sustainability rates: self supply offers opportunity for small
operators/entrepreneurs in their involvement in water supply service provision such as construction
to address such challenges in the community. There is need to build their capacity to undertake this
role and responsibility. This would strengthen skills development and transfer especially on managing
operation and maintenance but require putting in place strategies for improving quality of water.
7. Sector Performance monitoring and self supply: The Ministry for Water and Environment undertakes
the compilation of a WASH Sector Performance Report as an annual flagship publication, documenting
the activities and achievements of all agencies and entities working in the sector against the sector
performance indicators (Golden Indicators). It gives the latest coverage estimates for water supply
and highlights policy and operational issues that need priority attention to improve physical and fiscal
performance. There exist no clear indicator for self supply initiatives, it is therefore difficult to gauge
sector performance with this regard and yet such self supply might be contributing to attainment
of coverage figures (recall the SPR 2010 report on district self supply accounting for 10% of water
sources). Much as there are efforts to incorporate self supply facilities with storage capacity of 5 cubic
metres more data could a more specific and realistic indicator could be defined and used to capture
access with regard to self supply.
13
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
The opportunities available to ensure self supply transformation
(a) Implementation of Developed self supply strategy and policy framework
The water and sanitation sector needs a comprehensive self supply strategy that translates policy
provisions into actions and re-distributes the roles and responsibilities among the different stakeholders
– for follow up and accountability. The strategy will clearly specify objectives and components
for a comprehensive implementation of institutional mandates on water and sanitation with due
consideration for supply, demand, facilitation and financing. A comprehensive strategy will provide
for more realistic preparation and better coordination of sector investment into self supply plans
given the macro and micro policy development arena of Uganda. The investment plan should take
into consideration aspects such as schools, urban and rural water and sanitation investment needs
into a single plan with realistic specification of what is achievable given likely human and financial
resources.
(b)Support to local government self supply plans
Uganda has instituted and implemented a decentralization policy under which local governments at
the district levels are tasked to oversee water and sanitation, among other services. In this regard, it
is the responsibility of the district local governments to incorporate self supply water and sanitation
in the District Local Government Development Plans. It is however a challenge for the districts to give
fair treatment to water and sanitation compared to other sectors in the development arena such as
agriculture, education and infrastructure, because the national development plan has not identified
domestic water and sanitation as a wealth creating or key growth sector. This therefore means that
there is need for prioritisation, coordination and use of resources for water and sanitation at local
government level which includes, among others, the preparation and communication of improved
district water planning, budgeting and management guidelines inclusive of self supply.
(c) Improved information flow on self supply
One way to raise the profile of self supply in the water and sanitation sector is to improve on the
accuracy of outcomes data from work such as rainwater harvesting. This will serve as an attraction for
increased budgetary allocation, monitoring of MDGs but also provide a basis for off-budget support.
Whereas the policy and legal frameworks address the question of information availability, there is
need to review and advice on the strengthening of data collection systems by the responsible line
ministries (the Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Health,
Ministry of Education), National Bureau of Statistics, NGOs and local governments. WaterAid has
identified and prioritised the use of mapping and Management Information Systems (MIS) as a key
area of focus for sector performance and governance improvements.
(d)Motivate districts local government on self supply
There is increased recognition and appreciation of self supply as an alternative service delivery model.
However awards and prizes could be given to district who manage to boost their coverage figures as
a result of self supply.
(e) Institutional coordination for self supply
Government of Uganda has created a Water and Environment Sector Working Group with representatives
from the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, other
government departments, NGOs and other members of civil society. The Thematic Working Group on
Self Supply needs to adequately coordinate the development of the policy and framework and ensure
that self supply plans are an integral part of the overall sector targets and resource allocations.
(f) Off-budget support to self supply
From interviews conducted, it is clear that there is need for subsidies/ funding to demonstrate, trigger
and support self supply. Further attempts could be through:
• Use of micro-credit, SACCOs and revolving funds as a way of raising money for commercial
activities, household water supply and community water projects.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
14
• Leasing options for the construction, operation and maintenance of public and individual water
systems.
• Exploring partnerships with Corporate Institutions to co-fund/part-fund a national self supply
awareness campaign under their Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.
• Generally having the sector make a stronger case for more, better quality funding. Caution however
being that off-budget financing is important but a focus on it draws away from the key role of the
state in supporting a viable sector through budget allocation.
g) Sector performance measurement framework
• There exists a sector performance monitoring and reporting framework that would be reviewed to
incorporate specific indicators on self supply
The role of Civil Society Organisations in self supply
Over 200 Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) are active in
the provision of water and sanitation services (construction of facilities, community mobilisation, training
of communities and Local Governments, hygiene promotion this also includes advocacy and lobbying.
With regard to self supply their role could be:
• Promotion/ triggering self supply e.g. training of women in constructing rainwater-harvesting tanks in
key districts. Further still following the Zimbabwe experience on upgrading family wells (WSP, 2002).
Approximately 500 women are trained annually and often undertake contracts to construct rainwater
harvesting jars and ferro cement tanks. Additionally, NGOs construct domestic Roof Water Harvesting
systems at household levels (UWASNET, 2010).
• Present accounts of experiences where government policy has supported or pulled back self supply
initiatives.
• Look out for governance related aspects of self supply.
Further advocacy for self supply
(i) Budgeting framework
NGOs and CBOs operating in the water and sanitation sector have the capacity to influence macro and
micro policy decisions on resource allocation. They should therefore be engaged in:
• Continue the lobby for allocation of fund towards self supply promotion in local authority budgets.
• Lobbying for monitoring and evaluation inclusion of self supply performance indicators in the NDP
reporting.
• Reviewing, approval and pressing for strengthening of sanitation, water and hygiene activities in
Sector Working Group Guidelines
• Engaging stakeholders in the water and sanitation budget management frameworks
• Lobbying for policy change and resource adjustments by contributing to qualitative and case study
material in sector performance reports by actually monitoring sector performance in key gap areas,
such as equity and inclusion, a actualisation of rights based approaches
(ii) Strategy framework
• Influencing the development of an integrated self supply strategy document which includes overall
objectives, targets, activities (at national and local levels with their costs) and resource estimates
• Influencing the development of self supply integrated Monitoring and Evaluation system that includes
the use of performance indicators at the centre and at the district level. Civil Society organisations
should also lobby for inclusion of equity, gender, community etc. issues in sector performance
indicators, data reconciliation, harmonisation and analysis
(iii)Resource allocation
• Identifying and influencing water and sanitation resource allocation trade-offs that need to be
addressed (rural/ urban, inter-district etc.)
15
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
List of interviewees:
•
•
•
•
•
Richard Carter – TSU WaterAid UK
Kerstin Darnert – RWSN
Disan Ssozi – DWD Uganda
Joel Kiwanuka – DWD Uganda
Gilbert Kimanzi – DWS Uganda
References/Further reading:
•
•
•
•
Issue Paper Number One: General Sector Issues and Reforms, Kampala, 2003
Tariff Review for Piped Water Supplies (Small Towns, Rural Growth Centres), 2006
UWASNET, NGO Performance Report, 2010
Carter, R.C. (2006) Investigating Options for self help water supply: from field
Photo: WaterAid/ James Kiyimba
Scaling up sanitation - Drying racks can easily be constructed by many rural households
using locally available materials
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
16
Sanitation Strategies and approaches:
The link between sanitation and self-supply promotion by Mukama. D. Mukungu, Ministry of Water and
Environment/Directorate of water
Summary
Government of Uganda has over the years developed several sanitation policies, strategies and
approaches to guide the planning and development of sanitation in the sector. A combination of these
strategies and approaches has resulted into an incremental improvement of the sanitation coverage
in the country. The Integrated Sanitation and Hygiene Strategy 2006 now being implemented rests on
the pillars of demand creation, supply and enabling environment. In its implementation emphasis has
been placed on stimulating demand for sanitation through advocacy, CLTS approaches, hand washing
campaign, sanitation marketing, training masons, strengthening supply and better enforcement of
guidelines. In light of self supply, the sanitation policy, strategy and approaches can provide insight
into promotion and scale of self supply initiatives as an alternative to lack of access to water in
Uganda
Introduction
In the 60s, Uganda had adopted viable strategies for securing and maintaining sanitary conditions. A
number of factors made this possible, including: a vibrant economy that made it possible for citizens to
implement Government rules and regulations; effective machinery for law enforcement via the Public Health
Act and subsidiary regulations; respect for tribal leaders and local authorities; an effective Environmental
Health Department with capacity to carry out community mobilization and sensitisation on environmental
health at all levels; and a substantially lower, and less complex, level of environmental pollution.
Unfortunately, following the political turmoil and the breakdown of law and order in the 1970s and early
1980s, environmental health conditions deteriorated substantially, National latrine coverage; for example,
fell to 30% in 1983, its lowest recorded level. These problems were exacerbated by economic instability,
population pressure and limited attention to preventive health strategies.
However, Government of Uganda has over the years developed several sanitation policies, strategies
and approaches to guide the planning and development of sanitation in the sector. In 2005 the National
environmental health was developed and in 2006 the improved sanitation and hygiene strategy (ISH)
was also developed. A combination of the policy, strategy and approaches has resulted into incremental
improvement of the sanitation coverage in the country as can be seen from the graph below. Sanitation
has risen from as low as 57% in 2005 to 70% in 2010, (MWE/SPR, 2010).
STATUS OF NATIONAL SANITATION COVERAGE
Trends in sanitation coverage: 1960-2010
100
90
80
70
%age
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
Source: Author
17
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
This achievement can be placed on the implementation of the ISH that rests on the pillars of demand
creation, supply and enabling environment. Emphasis has been placed on stimulating demand for
sanitation through advocacy, CLTS approaches, hand washing campaign, sanitation marketing, training
masons, strengthening supply and better enforcement of guidelines. In light of self supply, the sanitation
policy, strategy and approaches can provide insight into promotion and scale of self supply initiatives as
an alternative to lack of access to water in Uganda.
2.0 Self Supply Concept
Self Supply is the improvement of house hold or community water supply through user investment in water
treatment, supply construction and up-grading, including small rainwater harvesting and groundwater
systems. It is a concept which complements conventional rural water supply funded by government,
enabling self-help improvement of supplies where no protected supply is available, or where consumers
feel they can support higher levels of service than are presently provided by the public sector. It is based
on incremental improvements. In steps which are easily replicable, with technologies affordable to users.
Figure 1 Source: Sutton, 2009
Steps such as those in the diagram (see Figure 1)
Encourage owners to aspire to further improvements to supply in the same way as they implement
progressive improvements to their houses, building on what they have already done, copying ideas from
neighbours and from what they see in urban and peri-urban areas. It encourages the fundamental urge to
better oneself and one’s family through providing an environment within which such changes are made
easier.
3.0 Sanitation in relation to Self supply
The 10 year ISH strategy is for financing and promotion of improved sanitation and hygiene. It presents
a series of core approaches and activities that are relevant throughout the sector and across all local
governments. It is a guiding framework for the implementing agencies, and is an instrument of advocacy
and serves as an input to the Medium-Term Operation Plans and the overall sector investment plans.
It can provide a basis for linkage with self supply. This strategy is implemented through a packaged
approach that relates to incremental developments through a minimum package, an Intermediate package
and the advanced package as discussed below;
3.1. The Minimum package
THE MINIMUM ISH UGANDA STANDARD
All households, schools and health centres in rural and urban areas to:
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
18
• To have and use a TOILET for the safe disposal of ALL faeces (particularly child faeces)
• have a HAND-WASHING STATION next to the Toilet with soap and water
• practice HANDWASHING with soap and water:
- after defecation and,
- before feeding babies and before eating food
• protect drinking water from a safe SOURCE to MOUTH
• have a drying rack for kitchen utensils
• have a refuse pit for the safe disposal of solid waste
3.2 The Intermediate package is designed to:
• consolidate Improved Sanitation and Hygiene (ISH) demand and compliance with the minimum
Improved Sanitation Hygiene (ISH) standard
• improve the range and availability of sustainable, hardware options for rural areas and small towns
• create sustainable delivery mechanisms through simple ‘do-it-yourself’ options and the enhanced
involvement and performance of the private sector using SANITATION MARKETING approaches
• increase use of Improved Sanitation and Hygiene facilities and enhance hygiene behaviour
3.3 The Advanced package
This involves taking the intermediate package to scale by
• Having district technical options agreed upon and demonstrated at households and institutions
• Having a sustainable public/private sector partnership developed creating and meeting technology
demands
• District has trained trainers, supervisors for sanitation. Artisans and Masons
3.4 Strategy Implication on self supply for water
Just like sanitation promotion strategy, self supply requires to put the following into consideration
1. Developing a comprehensive strategy for promotion of self supply that takes in account demand
creation, supply chain and creating an enabling environment
2. Developing a self supply strategy that puts into consideration of minimum requirements and
standards for water access
3. Phasing the implementation of the strategy as a means of achieving incremental improvement water
access.
4.0 Sanitation Technology Advancement
The concept of the sanitation ladder is one of the ways in which the phased approach to technology
advancement can be demonstrated. Below is the description of the sanitation ladder and how it relates
to self supply
The sanitation ladder
Cost
Flush toilet
Not
Acceptable
Open Defecation
VIP/Chemical/
SAN PLAT
latrine
Traditional
latrine
Fixed place Defecation
Source: Morella and others 2008
19
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
In the figure above the bottom of the ladder is open defecation which is not acceptable under the
minimum sanitation package. The next rung is traditional toilets (various kinds of pits), then improved
toilet (SanPlat, VIP latrines, and basic pits with slabs), with flush toilets (connected to a septic tank
or sewerage network) and ecological sanitation at the top. From a health perspective the most critical
movement is from no service (open defecation) or unimproved service (traditional toilet) to an improved
or sanitary service.
In support of self supply, water has a profound influence on human health. Lack of access to water is
not acceptable, at a very basic level, a minimum amount of water is required for consumption on a daily
basis for survival and therefore access to some form of water is essential for life. This means that with
self supply the bottom line is the need for water at all cost. Therefore, some form of water source (the
traditional sources - open wells, springs and streams) become the bottom line, then improved sources
(shadoof wells, Hand dug wells, etc.) up to the safe sources (Boreholes, Tap water etc) complete the
provision line. Self supply improvements in water provision are hence attained through gradual upgrading
and improvements on the available sources. For example a traditional open well can be protected from
contamination by,
• Provision of a storm water catchment drain
• Provision of logs for stepping on while drawing water other than stepping in the water
• Provision of drawing ladles
• Provision of a fence at the collection point and an enclosure to guard off animals
5.0 Approaches Used to Promote Sanitation
5.1 Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
Community-led total sanitation (CLTS) is an approach that involves facilitating a process to inspire and
empower rural communities to stop open defecation and to build and use Toilets, without offering
external subsidies to purchase hardware such Sanitation Platforms (sanplats). They collectively realize
the terrible impact of open defecation; that they quite literally will be ingesting one another’s ‘shit’ so as
long open defecation continues. This realisation mobilizes them into initiating collective action to improve
the sanitation situation in the community. In 2009/10, over 192 district extension workers were trained in
CLTS, and 675 villages were “triggered”, of which 25% were declared open defecation free (ODF), (MWE/
SPR, 2010).
Self supply can adopt a related approach to stimulate community initiatives in water access without
subsidies. But caution should be exercised. Well as CLTS is a good community led initiative, it has the
challenge of quality of the facilities which must be born in mind while promoting the approach. Similarly,
the same applies to self supply when it comes to water quality.
5.2 Sanitation Marketing
Sanitation Marketing is an approach of using Social Marketing principles to market sanitation to household
heads and decision makers; involves creating demand for improved services and improving supply through
working with the local private sector (trained local masons, shop keepers, service providers) to create and
meet the demand for the sanitation goods and services at household level for moving up the sanitation
ladder.
Sanitation marketing provides information on:
• The motivations for building or upgrading latrines as perceived by different segments of society
(Dignity, Convenience, Comfort, Privacy and Security).
• The constraints the different segments in constructing or upgrading Toilets and how they overcome
them.
• Product awareness and preference
• The channels of communication
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
20
Therefore, self supply can also benefit from the same approach based on the above reasons in that self
supply will require the private sector (artisans, hand pump mechanics, plumbers etc), to provide goods
and services; improved information flow on low cost technologies for upgrading family wells, rainwater
harvesting and home-based water treatment towards self supply. Borrowing from sanitation marketing can
we talk about “water marketing”?
6.0 Challenges
• Negative cultural norms, beliefs and taboos have affected demand for sanitation at the household
level. Poorer households place a higher priority on livelihood development than sanitation.
• Low prioritization of sanitation is prevalent at all government levels translating into inadequate funding
and low political support.
• Available funding for sanitation in the LGs is low as it competes with other priorities. There are
inadequate funds to facilitate sanitation improvement and hygiene education activities. Though a
new budget line for sanitation was approved to start effective 2009/10, funding still needs to be
sourced.
• Access to financial services to fund sanitation improvements is low. Available loan products are
characterized by high interest and re-payment rates suited for commercial and trade purposes. This
affects households that may be willing to make sanitation improvements.
• There’s still inadequate availability and access to alternative sanitation technologies that suit issues
of affordability, culture geographical areas and re-use.
• Though there is high knowledge on sanitation and hygiene among communities, it has not translated
into observable behavioural change.
7.0 Lessons for Self Supply
Good policies, strategies and approaches help to create an enabling environment that encourages access
to and use of sustainable water and sanitation services because;
• They are critical for the replication and scaling-up of successful pilot programmes
• They are a key stimulus to local action by including local initiatives in the overall strategy.
• They articulate needs and promote the importance of sanitation
• An effective policy can promote the setting of priorities and provide the basis for translating needs
into actions at different levels.
• Sets the scene for more sustainable and effective programmes as an expression of commitment and
serve to articulate priorities and allocate resources for implementation. Without which efforts to
improve access will remain local in scope and support needed to bring such efforts to scale.
• Policies help shape incentives and often directly influence organisational actors. As programmes are
implemented over lengthy periods they impact the incentives framework, challenging programme
managers to maintain a fit between activities and policies. Thus, understanding the incentives at
work and the interplay between policies and programming actors and interest groups, is essential to
success.
8.0 Conclusion
Achievements in sanitation and hygiene are attributed to the existence of a national policy and strategy
framework that is implemented at different levels. This has led to promotion of sanitation and hygiene
through use of approaches that are coherent with the National development plan, existing policies and
strategy. Likewise self supply will require a combination of appropriate strategies and approaches for
better promotion and adoption as an alternative to water access in communities.
21
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Reference
Government of Uganda, (1995): Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.
Government of Uganda, (1997): Local Government Act.
Government of Uganda, (2005): National Environmental Health Policy.
Ministry of health, (2006): The Financing Strategy For Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Uganda (ISH).
Ministry of Water and Environment, (2009): Water and Environment Sector Performance report.
Ministry of Water and Environment, (2010): Water and Environment Sector Performance report.
Sutton, S (2008): An introduction to Self Supply: Putting the User first, incremental improvements and
private interventions and private investment in rural water supply. RWSN- Self-Supply (SS) Flagship.
USAID Hygiene improvement program, (2010): Sanitation Marketing for managers: Guidance and Tools for
program development, Academy for Educational Development, 1825 Connectcut Avenue, NW Washington,
DC 20009-5721.
WSP, (2009): An Introduction to Self Supply: Putting the User First, Incremental improvements and
private investment in rural water supply – Field note.
WSP/WB., MOH/EHD, (2011): Community Led Total Sanitation: Training Guide for Facilitators.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
22
Chapter 2: Financial Support and Mechanisms- Microfinance
Financing Domestic Rain Water Harvesting in Uganda
Ida cole man, Kyeyune Solomon-NETWAS Uganda, Dorothy Baziwe URWA and Grace Kamuhanda,
Summary
This case explores how the private sector has initiated partnerships to reach out to households in
meeting their water needs by providing plastic rain water tanks and the financial support needed
to get a tank. This was achieved through a partnership between CRESTANKS limited and financial
institutions like Centenary Rural Development Bank, Finca and local savings and credit associations
(SACCOs). Through this partnership a loan scheme was initiated and a discount of 15% on the cost of
the tank provided to individuals who borrowed to own a tank.
Introduction
CRESTANKS, is the first plastic water systems provider that started fifteen years ago in Uganda under the
initiative of the then managing director of the company. The company started operations with the then
ministry of water, lands and environment (Currently Ministry of Water and Environment). By 2007 the
Crestanks limited had managed to gain its share of the market especially among institutions and with
a few individuals taking on plastic tanks. Most people felt the product (tanks) were very expensive and
thus could not afford them. In an effort to reach out to the community and demystify the issue of tanks
being expensive, the CRESTANK Company initiated a tank access scheme in partnership with financial
institutions.
Approach
Crestanks partnered with various financial institutions that included a bank, a micro finance institution
and savings and credit associations (SACCOs) to extend loans for individuals to access tanks by singing
a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Under the MoU each customer received a 15% discount on
purchasing the tank, the financial institution received 3% of the cost of each tank sold. Therefore Crestank
provided an overall discount of 18% per tank. In addition Crestank transported the tank to an agreed
destination where the beneficiary could pick the tank. A price list with the various tank capacities and cost
was provided to each of the financial institution and this is what the beneficiaries used to choose a tank.
This partnership was with Centenary Rural Development Bank that had a loan called the home improvement
loan. The loans officer sensitised customers about the tank loan and each time a customer wanted a tank,
the bank could credit Crestank account and send a local purchase order to Crestanks with details of the
beneficiary and Crestank Company could get in touch with the beneficiary and deliver the tank.
The micro finance institution was FINCA. Here once somebody wanted to get a tank, the institution could
instruct Crestank to deliver the tank to the beneficiary upon submission of the invoices and delivery note
Finca would then pay Crestanks.
Several SACCOs from different parts of the country were part of the initiative. These included Kyebando
(Kampala), Buhija (Kabaale) Mwaji (Mityana) and Bageza (Mubende). Kyebando SACCO bought tanks to
sell water while other SACCOs provided loans to members to purchase tanks for their household. Once an
individual bought a tank, crestank would transport the tank to an agreed location within the beneficiary’s
community.
23
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
The table below summarises the tanks sold and the areas they were transported
Institution
Number of tanks sold
Capacity Range
Transported to
Centenary bank
30
3000 – 1000l
Kampala, Mbarara, Masaka, Fortportal
and Wakiso
Finca
80
500 – 5000l
Kampala suburbs
Buhinga
10
10,000l
Other
10
500- 3000l
Kabale
Mubende, Mityana
Delivering of the tanks was used as an opportunity to monitor the already installed tanks. During the
monitoring activity, one of the beneficiaries who had received a tank was visited to monitor how they
were utilising the tank. In the areas where GIZ and SSWARS NGOs were working, they provided technical
support towards installation and management of the tank to the beneficiaries.
Main results and lessons learnt
The initiative enabled low income communities to have access to safe water and some gained business
opportunities such as selling water for an income
Beyond the financial institutions crestank has provided corporate customers a similar opportunity and has
far engaged Uganda Telecommunication Limited and Uganda Revenue Authority.
Discussions have been held with the micro finance support centre which has indicated that 65 billion UGX
loan facilities is available for WASH interventions and crestanks is currently exploring ways of starting
another scheme with a wider perspective aimed at capturing more beneficiaries.
In addition, a similar partnership has been established with Community Integrated Development Innitiative
(CIDI) an NGO to provide tanks to vulnerable households. It is also expected that women groups will be
approached and introduced about the scheme.
Lessons learnt
• When signing a Memorandum of Understanding in a partnership there is need to be very keen and
specific on the details. For instance, in this case transportation of the tanks to the beneficiary should
be clear
• Customer satisfaction is paramount in business dealings therefore keeping promises made in the
contracts is very vital
• Providing a range of products to meet customers’ needs and interests is important in business
dealings.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Having a strong private sector partnership through a loan scheme has led to improved access to water in
communities especially for households.
However, there is need to encourage financial support mechanisms to provide support to household
beneficiaries at all level. In addition, there is need to have continuous monitoring and follow up of the
tanks installed to ensure sustainability of provision of water in communities through proper operation
and maintenance.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
24
References
More information contact CREST TANKS LIMITED, Plot No. 256 Jinja Road Bweyogere-Namanve P.O. Box
11381, Kampala Uganda , Tel +256 0312- 262016
Photo: WaterAid/James Kiyimba
Rain water harvesting jars are not very hard to construct. In Mpigi and Gomba districts, WaterAid in Uganda
together with Busoga Trust have trained many women groups to construct these jars saving them the
burden of walking long distances in search for water
25
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Putting Women at the fore front of Self Supply: A case of Katosi
Women’s Development Trust
Written By Nansubuga Immaculate - Katosi Women Development Trust and reviewed by Dorothy Baziwe
and Kyeyune Solomon Netwas Uganda
Summary
Rural women groups organized under Katosi Women Development Trust working in the sub counties
of Nakisunga, Ntenjeru, Mpata and Mpunge of Mukono district are successfully managing their social,
economic and political development processes. They are empowered to increase their access to clean
safe water, through locally organised structures in form of groups led by the Chairperson, treasurer
and secretary to extend funding, implement, monitor and evaluate the progress of the group’s activities. This micro financed self supply mechanism allows women to acquire Domestic Rain Water Harvesting tanks (DRWHT) at their household through group-managed revolving schemes that has to date
benefited over 180 households.
Introduction
Mukono district is located in north of Lake Victoria in the central region of Uganda. Since the area is
bordering the lake, there is a high dependency on the contaminated water from the lake and other open
water sources. In addition, the geographical characteristics are high water table and rocky grounds,
making it difficult to construct the conventional sanitation facilities. The semi permanent settlements and
migratory nature of the people in fishing communities coupled with the fact that construction of sanitation
facilities is limited have all resulted in the pollution of the Lake Victoria the main source of water for
many people. Poverty, rising populations, the fishing community culture that marginalizes women from
economic, social and political developmental processes, low literacy among women and the diverse tribes
and cultural behaviours have exacerbated the water and sanitation problems.
Tin roof coverage
21%
have tin roofs
no tin roofs
79%
Children fetching water for domestic use from
unprotected water source
Women and children carry the big burden of hulling in water for household needs due to the cultural
beliefs and taking into consideration that the household activities under the realm of women require a
lot of water plus women lose otherwise productive time searching and gathering water. To increase their
access to clean safe water, KWDT rural women under the water, hygiene and sanitation program started
rain water harvesting, by supporting access to water facilities at households as a scheme to sustainably
provide water at household level. This was mainly because the area receives sufficient rainfall 230.8mm
(according to the Review of rainfall performance from 1st march – 30th April 2009 by the Min of Water
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
26
and Environment, Department of Meteorology).Also the baseline survey carried out by KWDT in 2007
indicated that 79% of the households had potential to harvest rain water. Therefore water harvesting was
constituted as part of the program.
Description of the initiative
This idea was born because the funding then was never able to provide water to all the 48 members
(then the members of the first group of KWDT). The women decided and agreed that the first beneficiaries
should repay the tank costs in instalments to create a pool that will enable secondary beneficiaries access
the same facility.
The process required building the capacity of the group leaders, secretary and treasurers and chairpersons
to enable them manage this process.
The roles of the group members in this initiative are:
• the selection of the beneficiaries by group members facilitated by the chairperson,
• Record Keeping by the secretary
• Treasurer to ensure issuing of receipts and maintenance of repayment records paid by the beneficiaries,
• Members all take responsibility to monitor the re-payments.
The self management revolving schemes were started and flourish among rural women organized in
groups under KWDT involving a total of 285 households represented by the women members from 13
groups.
The scheme involves the extending financial support to beneficiaries who pay back in instalments the
amount used to construct rain water harvesting tanks.
The scheme allows ‘first’ beneficiaries, indentified by group members, to receive the water facility such as
tanks and after which they pay back based on an agreed upon and affordable instalments to the group’s
Treasurer as payment for acquisition of the water/ sanitation facility.
The instalments from the various beneficiaries are then pooled to create a Rain Water Harvesting tank
fund from which secondary beneficiaries access the same facility.
The beneficiaries select sites where the tank can be constructed and provide local materials for the
construction of the tanks.
To date, the rain water harvesting scheme has supported 181 women households that have access to
clean water.
Although it started with donor funds, the scheme is well established and entrenched in the KWDT system
and has continued to supply women households with tanks even without donor funds.
Major drivers of the process and success
• Rural women organized in groups
The existence of strong organized groups of women each with 3 leaders i.e. the chairperson, treasurer
and secretary enabled the smooth coordination, implementation and monitoring their activities of the
revolving scheme among themselves, communities.
The groups joining KWDT have been increasing gradually since 2004 when the network began with
4 groups. All groups hold regular meetings in their various locations that take place every two
weeks. KDWT carries out constant monitoring visits to the various groups and also ensures there is
sustainability through promotion of livelihood activities e.g. soap making; diary farming; fish farming
etc.
• Women Tank masons
Women tank masons were trained so as to acquire skills and knowledge to construct ferrous cement
rain water harvesting tanks.
27
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
With representative of 2 masons from each of the 13 groups, KWDT women groups have a total of 26
women masons and they earn income of Ushs.170, 000 for each tank constructed.
• Local leaders
The collaboration with the local leaders especially area chairpersons, and sub county officials have
contributed to the success of the process.
Resources
• Women’ main activities and contributions
The women groups acquire and store construction materials in their households, they participate in
the construction processes by acquiring local construction materials.
Human resource
Construction and maintenance is done by Women who have been trained as masons.
• Estimate cost in kind and cash
Construction for each tank ranges between Ushs.800, 000 and Ushs. 900,000.
In case of failure to make cash payments, the beneficiary offers costs in kind by providing labour,
local materials for tank construction. The women group members monitor the construction process,
delivery of materials and ensure proper storage of all construction materials.
• External funds
External funds were needed by the women so as to establish the fund. KWDT received grants from
various partnerships such as the Royal Danish Embassy, the France Libertes, and the Waterloo
Foundation among others.
Successes
• The women group’s initiative to increase access to water at households and communities has enabled
the women to be recognized in their communities as ones who are capable of solving problems that
they face. The community also now appreciates their work as their programs complement each other
i.e. the WASH, Agricultural, Micro credit, Health, advocacy and lobbying and training activities.
• The women have acquired 181 DRWH tanks in house holds and 17 DRWH tanks in schools in all the
four sub counties with which KWDT works with.
• Created source of income for rural women. A tank construction brings in Ushs. 170,000 for the women
tank masons and for the sale of water from the DRWH tanks is Ushs. 200 per 20liters of water.
• Access to clean safe water and carrying out WASH training for households and schools has improved
hygiene and sanitation in the community.
• Reduced occurrence of water related diseases especially among the children such as cholera, dysentery
and typhoid. (Source: KWDT Evaluation Report of the Danida project)
Access to adequate water for cows
increases milk production
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
28
• There is more time for women to do productive income generating activities and the children have
more time to attend to their studies and home work. Additionally access to water at the household
level has contributed to improved agricultural productivity.
• The local council leaders especially the chair person, women councillors and sub county officials
have engaged in the women’s activities. They have participated in the community WASH dialogues to
increase sensitization and awareness among the community members.
• KWDT was awarded as the best NGO by the Ministry of Water and Environment in the Water, Hygiene
and Sanitation sector in 2008/2009.
Challenges
Conflicts arise now and again within groups, due to group dynamics; this has tended to affect the
repayment for the tanks and the overall progress of the activities within the women group.
This challenge has been overcome by:
• The establishment of the Disciplinary Committee
• Ensuring transparency in decision making about beneficiary,
• open and transparent records of repayments
Lessons learned
• Women are agents of change for improvement of their livelihoods and their communities. To achieve
sustainability of community self supply, these groups and especially rural women initiatives should
be supported by the local governments, CBOs, NGOs and should collaborate with them to build their
capacities at the grass root levels.
• The women’s literacy levels and discrimination from the processes of implementation, marketing
water, hygiene and sanitation due to the cultural and religious norms is a great hindrance to the
progress of their initiatives.
• Women working in organized groups have enabled KWDT and hopefully the Local government
to reach out to the local communities. This practice can easily be scaled up in other areas of
Uganda with similar conditions as the women must understand and know the crucial issues and
environments in their communities.
29
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Chapter 3: Technology Options in Self Supply
Promotion of the Rope Pump as an Alternative Option for Self Supply
Written by Spera Atuhairwe and Juliet Abaliwano (Water Aid in Uganda)
Summary
WaterAid in Uganda pioneered the manufacture and popularization of the Rope pump as an alternative
technology option to enable the rural communities in Mpigi and Wakiso to meet the challenges of
operation and maintenance. This was achieved through training of artisans who were equipped with
welding and fabrication skills necessary for the fabrication of the pump paving way for manufacturing
rope pumps designed exclusively for Ugandan environment.
Photo: WaterAid James Kiyimba
A typical example of a Rope Pump constructed with
support from WaterAid in Uganda and Busoga Trust
being used in Kamengo Sub county-Mpigi District
Photo: WaterAid/ Juliet Abaliwano
Demonstrating how a rope pump works during
the 6th International Rural Water Network
Forum held in Uganda (2011)
Introduction
Many rural areas in the sub-Saharan region rely mainly on groundwater for their water supply especially
during the dry season. Boreholes and hand dug wells equipped with hand pumps as relatively low cost
technology options for domestic water supply in developing countries are generally considered as ‘safe
sources’ of drinking water. In this context, locally made pumps are of particular interest to the water sector
for reasons of sustainability considering that their manufacture is affordable to the local communities.
In 2006, WaterAid in Uganda pioneered the manufacture and popularization of the Rope pump with the
aim of presenting wider technology options that will enable the rural community meet the challenges of
operation and maintenance in the two districts of Mpigi and Wakiso
A Rope pump is a simple, cheap and easy to handle technology with a capacity to pump huge volumes
of groundwater. The basic elements of this pump are an endless rope fitted with conical shaped pistons.
The rope with pistons is lifted by a wheel, pulling up the water to the surface through the PVC pipe (tube).
The pump can easily be manufactured out of locally available materials, used plastic materials and old
car tyres.
The case study analyses the effectiveness of the rope pump as a self supply option for the rural
communities. It reviews issues of sustainability, cost of delivery and challenges faced in operation and
maintenance looking at the experiences of two communities targeted by WaterAid as pilot projects.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
30
Description of the Case Study
In 2005 staff from WaterAid Uganda visited WaterAid Ghana to have an understanding of the Rope
pump which was being introduced in Ghana and Burkina Faso then. A consultant was later engaged to
ensure transfer and impact knowledge on the working principles of the rope pump and set up a team
to be involved in the manufacture of the pump as well as develop a manufacturing manual for easy
dissemination to stakeholders in the sector.
A training base was identified at one of local foundries in Katwe, an informal sector commonly known
as “jua kali” workshops base in Kampala. The workshop was selected after visiting several workshops in
the area to establish their capacity. The workshop had all the necessary tools, equipments and welding
materials. All necessary inputs (steel, plastic, etc) for Rope pump manufacturing were also available. Two
artisans were identified and taken through a vigorous training sessions for two months. The artisans were
equipped with welding and fabrication skills necessary for the fabrication of the pump. By the end of the
training the trainees were able to make six (6) complete Rope pumps designed exclusively for Ugandan
environment and ready for installation.
Using the pumps the trainees produced, they were trained on how to install the pump on a hand dug
well. The first WAU rope pump was installed at Sempya community in Namayumba sub-county – Wakiso
District.
The community members making up the water user committee were given ‘on – site’ training on the
operation and basic maintenance (O& M) and a hand pump mechanic identified for further training
Resources
To address issues of ownership, community participation and contribution was a prerequisite with the
community providing the labour force and local materials that included bricks, hard core, sand and
consumables during the construction period.
WaterAid through its partner organization provided the technical capacity, facilitation for the training
sessions, cement and the fabricated water pump as well as a tool box to the hand pump mechanic. (Have
to include actual costs in this area)
Successes
The cost of repair for the rope pump is minimal due to the fact that the materials are locally available
and can be easily replaced. According to the community, the pump is easy to maintain and therefore can
easily be repaired by members of the community
Estimated number of users was between 160 and 300 exceeding the expected number of users for a self
supply system although the excessive use brings concerns of sustainability due to frequent maintenance
problems
The water quality is acceptable to the community members and appreciated compared to alternative non
protected sources. Studies have shown the average turbidity of a rope pump to be an average of 11 NTU
compared to the poldaw at 29 NTU and U2 at 28 NTU.
Case Study on the Rope Pump in Kamengo Sub county- Mpigi District
In 2007, WaterAid in Uganda in partnership with Busoga Trust established a rope pump at Sigi Village,
Kamengo Sub-County, Mpigi District. At the time of WAU’s monitoring visit on 15th of June 2011, the pump
was still in operation and serving a population of between 250-300
31
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
A number of reasons were noted for this success;
• The design of the project was highly participatory and there was a great need for an improved
water source by the community; the alternative source is highly contaminated stream with pollution
from anthropogenic activities
• The rope pump was found easy to repair by community members without a high dependence on
the mechanic
• Spare parts are locally available such as the piston and rope from the nearby trading centre
• The dedication of the hand pump mechanic ensures quick repair and has ensured the working of
the pump from installation to date
Challenges faced with the sustainability of the rope pump
Although the rope pump was promoted as a self supply system, where community members are expected
to own the facility on completion, little evidence has been seen of this with minimal repairs left unattended
as the community returns to their previous unsafe water sources, There is clearly a lack of ownership in
this regard.
The design of the project did not originally institute a system for regular collection of fees. Contributions
are only made when there is a break down. This is even becoming more challenging with reducing
community interest in contributing O&M fees.
Due to the simple nature of the repair work required, more people in the community have gained the skill
however; this brings the problem of mishandling the pump under many hands
The rope pump is designed to serve a small community to enhance ownership and ensure sufficient supply
through the year. However due to the growing populations in the rural areas with scattered provisions
of water sources, there is increased pressure on the source as more people access (in one location over
300) the source leading to rampant breakdowns and increased lack of ownership.
Case Study on the Rope Pump in Namuyumba Sub county-Wakiso District
The pump was established in 2007 code named “Ani Ayali Amanyi” in Sempya village, Namuyumba Sub
County, Wakiso district. WaterAid visited the source on the 7th of June 2011. It was non-functional and
had been out of operation for over three years.
A number of reasons were noted for its failure which included;
- A clear lack of ownership by the community and the absence of user fees for the purchase of spare
parts. The pump requires minor repairs estimated to cost less than UGX 100,000.
- The primary caretaker passed away over a year ago and had not transferred any of his skills or the
tool kits to another member of the community
The community members did acknowledge the benefits of the pump will it was still in use noting; the
good quality for domestic use; the pump was easy to use by the old and young alike; the source was
able to serve a number of households estimated to 120 persons (they now access a well more than 1
mile away)
Lessons Learnt
• Importance of Community Ownership for Sustainability
To increase the sustainability of the pump, emphasis should be placed on ownership by the community.
Awareness rising is clearly needed for all members of the community involved with adequate training
of the water user committees on their roles and responsibilities
• Demand Driven approach
The success of such a low cost project relies on the level need of the community. Where alternative
sources are nonexistent or unsafe, communities tend to provide the financial and human resource
needed to maintain the available source. It is very important then to have a demand driven approach
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
32
to choice of project areas for sustainability reasons
• Involvement of stakeholders
The success of any intervention requires adequate assessment and engagement of relevant
stakeholders which is critical for achievement of intended objectives. The introduction of the project
was aimed at ensuring that learning is picked for wider sharing, making improvements in the designs
and approaches employed. This necessitated adequate involvement of different stakeholders such as:
- the local government for the provision of regular technical support and help address issues of
O&M, incorporate it in planning and budgeting;
- the CSOs for proper mobilisation, further awareness creation, sharing of experiences and
advocacy;
- the research/academic institutions for proper technology modifications;
- and the private sector in addressing the supply chain issues through adequate fabrication,
marketing and training of communities in the use of the parts
Conclusion
The comparative advantage of the rope pump compared to other pumps in use points to its costs of
manufacture, O&M costs, flow rates and water quality. The rope pump seems to be a cheaper technology
option for water supply in the rural areas in terms of both capital and maintenance costs. This is due to
the fact that the components that are required for setting up and installation can be locally manufactured
and therefore replacement of parts during maintenance is simplified.
However, the rope pump has some challenges with frequent maintenance issues although repairs can
be easily done bringing fatigue to the maintenance team leading to abandonment. Modification of the
pump for better sustainability through use of stronger materials may be an option while putting into
consideration the cost implications of an upgrade of the pump
Further reading:
Bombas 2000. Support Technology Transfer of rope pump-Nicaragua/Ghana- Final Report to the Water and
Sanitation Program (WSP)
Harvey et al. 2001. Sustainable Hand pump Projects in Africa: Report on Workshop, Lusaka, Zambia
WSP 2001. The rope pump: Private Sector Technology Transfer from Nicaragua to Ghana-Developing Private
Sector Supply Chains to Deliver Rural Water Technology. Water and Sanitation Program, Washington DC
Nyende et al 2009. Comparative analysis on the effectiveness of Poldaw & Rope and O&M of new and
existing water hand pump technologies in Mpigi district
Harvey et al. 2006. The case for the rope-pump in Africa: A comparative performance analysis
33
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Using Fabricated Tools to provide Water sources: A case of
Yumbe District
Written by Rashidah Kulanyi WASH Advisor (SNV), Aguta Sam Assistant District Water Officer (Yumbe
District), Lilian Nanggendo MWE, Maria Sseruwo MWE and Solomon Kyeyune NETWAS Uganda
Summary
This case study examines the efforts of Mr. Ebere Yasin a P.2 drop out in early fifties, trying to bridge
the gap in the rural water service delivery system in Yumbe district through the use of fabricated tools
for drilling and siting ground water sources. In 2005, Yasin fabricated a manual drilling machine that
he uses to drill shallow wells up to 30 meters and uses a pair of bicycle spikes as a simple technology
for siting Shallow wells. So far his siting technique has been 100% accurate. His first drilling trial was
at his home and later drilled two more in Yumbe Town council.
Introduction
Mr. Ebere Yasin is a hand pump mechanic working to bridge the gap in the rural water service delivery
system in Yumbe district. He is in his early fifties and was born in Lodonga sub-county Yumbe district.
During his early days he went to school but dropped out when he was in Primary two. He is endowed
with various practical skills like agriculture, vehicle maintenance, and borehole maintenance and is a man
only fluent in Swahili and Lugbara languages.
This hand pump mechanic has worked with several organizations. He worked with the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and ACAV as a casual labourer, later he joined a group of Hand Pump
Mechanics at a time when Yumbe district was hosting Sudanese refugees. This earned him recognition
for his excellence and developed a close relationship with Lodonga mission and core PTC where he
was working under the supervision of Italian priests and Verona brothers. Since 2005, Yasin has used
fabricated tools to site and drill shallow wells while providing more than is expected from a hand pump
mechanic.
Description of the initiative
In 2005, the Ministry of Water and Environment organised a two weeks’ training on appropriate technologies
in Arua District. This was meant for District Water Officers and selected Hand pump Mechanics. It therefore
took a lot of explanations to allow him to attend this training because he was considered to be below
the acceptable standards for a hand pump mechanic at the time.
It is from this training that Mr. Ebere Yasin had an opportunity to train as a Hand Pump Mechanic. After
excelling in the training, he embarked on fabricating his own tools and machines to practice what was
done during the training.
Among the tools that he fabricated are the uses of a pair of bicycle spikes for siting, pipes for drilling
U2 and U3 hand pumps.
Siting with Bicycle Spokes
Bicycle spokes are bent into an L-Shape and are held
symmetrically each in one hand. These are held
parallel as he moves around the siting area. When
these come into contact it means that there is water
below the surface and therefore a shallow well or any
water source can be constructed. And when the spikes
remain parallel as they are held, this means that there
is no water and drilling cannot be done. He has used
it in his own home.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
34
Drilling
After identifying the site for drilling, Mr Ebere, uses fabricated tools to manually drill. This involves the use
of a U2 casing that is first used to drill a shallow well up to a certain depth. Later on a U3 casing is used
to increase the depth and radius of the shallow well to be drilled. However, the drilling process is done
manually by rotating the pipes connected to the casing into the surface and the soil that collects into
the pipe is removed. This process is done continuously until the required depth is reached and enough
to collect water from the shallow well. Using this technique he is able to drill up to 30 meters in depth.
By using the simple technology, Mr. Ebere Yasin was
able to drill his first shallow well at his home and later
he drilled two more in Yumbe Town council. He has
now taken on training nine more individuals and some
Hand Pump Mechanics and other ordinary people to
replicate his technology for increased access of water
facilities. He has contributed to safe water access to
over 1500 people in Yumbe District.
Table showing the Shallow Wells drilled by Mr. Ebere
Yasin
Sub county
Number of
Boreholes
Yumbe Town
Council
2
Functional
Odravu
2
1 Functional
Lodonga
2
Functional
Kuru
1
Vandalised
Status
In 2006, under the decentralization program of Makerere University-I@mak, each district was required to
register an individual or group with appropriate technology. Yumbe district had Mr. Ebere’s technology
(Manual Drilling Machine). This project was highly commended by Makerere University and was then taken
to demonstrate to the staff and students of Faculty of technology where Dr. Barnabas Nawange, the Dean
Faculty of Technology recommended his manual drilling technology for further studies and development.
Contribution as a Hand Pump mechanic
In addition to the training he received, Mr. Ebere
has developed extra skills for installing heavy duty
boreholes by using both GI and PVC pipes to make
it extra light. A traditional borehole which used to
be pumped by more than two people because of its
weight can now be pumped by a five year old child at
Lodonga black primary school.
Major drivers of the process and success
• Training and skills development over a period of
time with constant exposure by NGOs, missionaries
and district water office.
• Access to old or used parts of motor vehicles.
• Access to spare parts outlets in the district.
• Drive and will to invent own technology.
Also using his fabricated tools he is able to fish
out pipes that have fallen into the bore holes.
35
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
• Finance from own savings.
• Support by the District Water Office, NGOs and community for the service provided right from sitting,
drilling, training and rehabilitation of both boreholes and shallow wells in the district.
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
3 million shillings to fabricate manual drilling machines from personal savings.
Skills training by NGOs and Ministry of Water and Environment.
Support from other Hand Pump Mechanics in the district.
Used parts from motor vehicles.
For drilling shallow wells for households, Mr. Ebere Yasin charges 3 million, while those financed by
District Local Government and Sub-counties he costs it at Uganda shillings 5.5 million pointing out
that Uganda Shillings 500,000 is remitted as taxes.
• For siting shallow wells he charges between Uganda Shillings. 150,000 to 200,000
Successes
• Apart from drilling boreholes, Mr. Ebere has also taken on nine members for mentoring, coaching
and on-the-job training.
• He also rehabilitates shallow wells and boreholes leading to increased functionality
• He developed extra skills for installing HDE Pipes connected to GI Pipes which makes boreholes light
while pumping water.
Lessons learnt
• In promoting self-supply, the private sector, hand pump mechanics and other artisans play a key role.
• Skills development of local providers can help address the constraints faced in ensuring access to safe
water.
• Using local technology can reduce the cost of water facility development while promoting local economic
development as well as vocational skills development.
• Linking such indigenous technologies to institutions like Makerere University can further its development.
• Financing for local innovations is still lacking and needs to be addressed by the different service
providers.
Challenges faced by Mr. Yasin faces the following
1. No access to adequate spare parts that he can be used to fabricate more tools.
2.He can no longer get contracts for drilling from the district ever since the procurement rules were
changed. However, SNV is supporting the HPMs to form an association and this will enable Mr. Yasin
get contracts through the association.
3.He has no means transport yet sometimes he is called for borehole rehabilitation works even in
neighbouring districts.
Support needed by Mr. Ebere Yasin
1. Involvement in available training opportunities so as to acquire technical skills and guidance
2.Ease access to spare parts in the district
3.Store for keeping the available tools/ spare parts
4.Assistance to construct a training centre for Hand Pump Mechanics
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
36
The Challenges of self Supply – A Case of a family in KiteziKabaga Estate
Paul Kimera, Geoffrey Muhairwe, Senior Research Officer, Appropriate Technology Centre for Water &
Sanitation Uganda.
Summary
The necessity for water has led a number of people to come up with their own means and methods
of accessing water. Without proper professional guidance, some people practicing self-supply have
experimented with a number of technologies in their quest for solutions to either augment their water
supply or establish water supply in uncovered areas. This paper seeks to explore the triumphs and
challenges of self supply.
Introduction
Self supply refers to local or private initiatives by individuals, households or communities to improve their
water supplies without relying on external help. It has been defined as the improvement to household
water supply through user investment in water treatment, supply construction and upgrading, and
rainwater harvesting. It is based on incremental improvements in steps which are easily replicable, with
technologies affordable to the users (Sutton, 2009). People resort to this approach for a number of
reasons. Some of them are: to lower utilities costs charged by operators, to augment other sources of
supply where it may be inadequate, to improve accessibility of water supply, and to provide a means for
water supply where it is inexistent and yet needed.
This paper discusses a successful case of the benefits of self-supply where a young businessman, Mr
Geoffrey Muhairwe compelled by the lack of a water supply in his new residence was forced to individually
develop his own water supply.
Description of the Case Study – Approach or Technology
Mr. Geoffrey Muhairwe, a young business man was compelled to resort to various methods of self supply
when he and his young family moved to Kiteezi-Kabaga, in Wakiso district. At the time, the estate was
largely undeveloped and the young couple felt compelled to occupy their unfinished house to free
themselves from the rapidly rising costs. Whereas they considered on-site water and electricity important,
the two were not readily available when they moved. The cost of connecting to the NWSC water pipelines
would have been prohibitive as it would have required at least some kilometres of pipe.
The family first collected water from a protected spring about 2 km from their home. It was inconvenient,
but the water was free and all they had to do was pay some youth to ferry the water. In time, they
realised the potential for rainwater harvesting and bought a 2,000l plastic tank for the purpose. Later,
they followed some advice and dug a well and fitted it with an electric pump and started to collect water
from a tap in their yard. The next step in their quest for better water supply was to undertake indoor
plumbing so that the water can be accessed from inside the house. Along the way, they integrated their
ground water supply system with the storage tank originally meant for rainwater to increase reliability in
case of power failure. The journey they embarked on is consistent with other self supply initiatives where
users identify a problem and act within their means to solve it and incrementally apply modifications to
it to suit their own requirements. Rainwater
Harvesting is quite a significant method of self supply in Uganda accounting for 27% of drinking water
during the wet season (Danert, 2010). In this case, a series of solutions evolved and rainwater harvesting
is still maintained to an extent, but is not relied upon to meet the family’s entire water needs.
37
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Initial use of Available Protected Source
At first, due to the need to balance between the competing need to finish and furnish the house, Geoffrey
and Judith paid 2 young men to fetch water for them from a spring about 2km from their home. Although
the protected spring had been privately developed, there was no charge levied for water collected from
the spring. During this time, the household of six used to use 10 jerry cans of water, collected at a cost of
200/- each or 6,000/- a day and 60,000/- per month. This served the family well enough in meeting their
immediate water needs even though they had to be conservative with the water.
With time, the owner of the protected spring realised that the Muhairwes had the capacity to pay for the
water they collected and started charging for the water. The initial charge was 100/- per 20 litre jerry can
that was later increased to 200/-. For their average monthly consumption of 300 jerry cans of water, they
required a total of 120,000 shillings per month, which they considered to be on the high side.
Rainwater Harvesting
Rainwater harvesting appeared to be the next logical step that would give them some reprieve from the
high costs of water from the protected spring. They therefore invested in a 2,000l capacity plastic rainwater
tank with the belief that they would store enough water at a time to last at least one month. They fitted
gutters on both sides of the roof. The tank was installed just outside the front of the house and fitted
with a tap. The installed cost of the rainwater harvesting system including gutters was 1,500,000 shillings.
Water for various house requirements was then collected from the outside tank. The installed storage
only provided enough water for one week. This wasn’t nearly sufficient so the water collection from the
protected spring resumed despite the new available source of water.
Hand dug well Solution
Since the rainwater harvesting and storage solution did not sufficiently solve their water problem, the
Muhairwes were still in search of a lasting solution. It was during this time that Mr. Muhairwe met a
friend who advised him to dig a well, as their property was bordering a wetland and so they were likely
to easily strike groundwater. The Muhairwes embraced the idea with the belief that it would cost about
500,000/- to dig the well.
The selected site was just after the gateway leading into their compound and was at a higher elevation
than their house. There is a slope from the gate down to the house and their house is at the lowest
altitude in the entire estate, on the edge of a wetland. After digging for about 4 days to a depth of about
35 feet, they reached the ground water level. The lower reaches of the well were lined by seven 900mm
culverts. They fitted an electric pump to the well at a cost of 1,200,000 shillings. Plumbing work was
done connecting the well and pump to an outside tap stand. The electric pump required armoured cables
which were difficult to find on the market, but they were eventually located.
An elevation stand holding a 1000l plastic tank was integrated into the design. The elevated tank fed into
the original 2,000l rainwater tank. This was used as a reserve in case of power failure. The upper 1.5m
of the well was lined by fired clay bricks and a concrete slab with a lockable manhole access cover. This
was to protect children from falling into the ditch and to protect the expensive pump from thieves. The
final installed system integrates both rainwater harvesting and storage and groundwater abstraction. The
cost of the well, pump and elevation tank came to 4,500,000/- excluding the original rainwater harvesting
system.
Geoffrey and Judith have made additional improvements to their water system doing internal plumbing
works inside the house so they can now access water inside the house. Though the water is aesthetically
pleasing, lingering questions remain about the water quality, due to the 20 feet deep pit latrine within the
same compound but also due to the increased development of residential houses at a higher elevation
than the Muhairwe’s compound. No water quality tests or analysis has been carried out so the family boils
their drinking water as a treatment method.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
38
Main results and lessons learnt
The family has come full circle in their quest for a reliable water supply system. Today they have adequate
water for all their domestic needs. They are satisfied with the system they have in place and have not
had any water shortages since its full implementation. They no longer pay for the water they consume but
admit that in retrospect, it would have been impossible for them to carry out the steps that they did in
any other way. They know that the system they have presently is superior to all the ones they used before
but yet they could not have afforded this system earlier. Their approach and experience is consistent
with the general self supply concept which encourages the incremental improvement of household and
community supply through user investment in water treatment, supply construction and upgrading.
One result is that the family now has a reliable water supply in place that has so far not been prey to
seasonal variations. They have consolidated this advantage by using the 2,000l tank as reserve storage.
Owing to the now rampant power outages due to load shedding, they routinely pump water for about
three minutes every morning and evening to ensue that in case of a long power outage they would not
be negatively affected.
Secondly they are experiencing reduced water costs and a potential to recover part of their cost. National
Water and sewerage Corporation charges 1,585 shillings per cubic metre compared to 20,000 shillings per
cubic metre they would have been paying by collecting water from the protected spring 2km away. An
immediate neighbour expressed interest in being supplied water by the Muhairwes, a service for which he
was willing to pay. However, they feared to enter into an arrangement for which they knew no precedent,
but they have a water system that could supply at least a few homes in their immediate neighbourhood.
In the end their neighbour opted to build a rainwater tank, which could be the beginning of another
interesting and costly self supply journey.
It was quite a costly venture. The total cost of installed self supply hardware in the home is 6,000,000
shillings compared to 105,000 to 210,000 shillings for ½” to ¾” pipe supply for up to 50 m from an NWSC
service point. (www.nwsc.co.ug). However, this option was not available to them. It is still not available,
though it is likely to be available soon due to the population growth in the area and large number of
houses. Furthermore, since they entered their house in March 2009, they would have spent 2,880,000/buying water going by their consumption at the time which was 10 jerrycans of water a day at a cost of
400/- each. Today they wash their car every evening and have a flush toilet in the house.
This could account for an additional 11 jerrycans of water per day. The cost over a 2 year period would
then be 6,048,000/-. The return period on this investment would is therefore about 2 years. However, over
a period of 10 years, assuming no increase in cost at the well or transportation cost, they would spend
30,240,000/- on buying water. Compared to their total current investment, they would save 24,192,000/over a 10 year period. Even allowing for the contribution of the water pump to their electricity bill, their
self supply solution would still be a less costly option.
All in all, the series of solutions they adopted were appropriate and adequate for the challenges they
faced. They could not have done it all at once because it was beyond their means to pay the cost for
the whole system at one go. They did what was affordable and manageable at a time and now they have
good water security. The remaining concerns are around the water quality which is unknown and fear for
the security of the pump. A question for the future will be whether the water supply system will maintain
the same appeal and significance when NWSC eventually covers the area and whether viable options will
present themselves and be taken to share the cost of the installed system with new neighbours. However,
at this point, their self supply system has already saved them some money.
Conclusions and Recommendations
It cannot be denied that self supply continues to be an approach used by many and not only those in
areas which are not covered by utility companies. There are still people in areas that are covered by NWSC
39
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
who opt to carry out self supply either to augment their own water supply or as a preferred alternative
to piped water supply.
As the struggle to increase water coverage continues, this vital approach needs to be well developed.
People who carry out self supply suffer in isolation for the best supply and technology to use. As a result
they may incur high capital costs and expensive experiments sometimes ending in failure. Often they have
to implement solutions with limited or no technical expertise. As there are a myriad of people seeking
self-supply solutions, there are a myriad of solutions. The challenge is to be able to sift through these
solutions for the optimal solution that will save money, time and other resources.
The other challenge is how to effectively extend a self supply line. The self supply hardware could
potentially be expanded to serve at least five households in the neighbourhood. What mechanisms need
to be in place to effectively engage the neighbours? Clearly, as each neighbour seeks their own solution,
they’ll have to pay a very high cost regardless of what technology they adopt.
Recommendations
As part of the recommendations, stakeholders in the water sector, such as the Ministry of Water and
Environment, Local Governments and NGOs should take a keen interest in such self supply initiatives with
a view to coming up with guidelines or manuals for various scenarios that demand self supply, detailing
where people may get technical advice, various self supply technologies and associated costs.
There needs to be a bridging of the gap between people practicing self supply in a localized area by
encouraging processes that would bring people together to come up with a joint solution. This would
save everyone from very high household hardware costs for self supply. For instance another neighbour
dug their own well while others have resorted to rainwater harvesting. The cumulative individual costs
of all these isolated actions are quite high. Arguably, they are less costly than buying and ferrying water.
However a joint solution would be cheaper but an agreeable mechanism and enabling environment needs
to be in place. This would require technical assistance and the right set of policies to guide such actions.
The quality of the water remains suspect because it hasn’t been tested. There are a number of laboratories
in the country that can carry out specialized tests for microbial tests, chemical contamination and other
standards for drinking water. The cost of these tests would be a huge additional cost for a household. One
test for Ecoli in the NWSC-Central laboratory is 37,500/-. This would be a much smaller cost if distributed
amongst say 10 households, making a case for cooperation in self-supply. An alternative would be to use
the Portable Microbial Laboratory (PML) developed by Professor Bob Metcalf of California State University
in Sacramento. The PML consists of 25 Colilert and Petrifilm tests that fit inside a gallon-size zip lock
plastic bag and small plastic bags( Whirl Paks) to collect water samples, sterile plastic pipettes, and a
battery –operated long wave UV light for the Colilert test. Incubation can be done using the human body.
Test results are present after 12 to 18 hours of incubation and the test can easily be done by an adult at
home. Ten tests cost $47, so it would be a less costly alternative.
Self supply, as demonstrated in this case can at times be a more financially sustainable option. It is
frequently associated with high financial capital costs that scare many people away. Meanwhile, they
unwittingly spend much more on buying water, which several times does not fully meet their water
requirements of quantity and convenience. Funding mechanisms through banks and micro finance
institutions that distribute the cost over several months could gainfully equip more people to carry out
self supply.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
40
References (See below)
1. Ministry of Water and Environment (2010), ‘Uganda Water Supply Atlas’
2. Sutton, Sally (2009) ‘An introduction to Self supply: Putting the user First’, Rural Water Supply
Series
3. National Water and Sewerage Corporation website: www.nwsc.co.ug
4. The Uganda Water Act (1997)
Danert, Kerstin & Sutton, Sally (2010) ‘Accelerating Self Supply: A Case study from Uganda 2010,
Field note No 2010-4
41
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Chapter 4: Institutional Support for Self Supply Initiatives
without stifling Community Initiatives
Enhancing Safe and Reliable Water Supply through Self Supply: A case of Iganga
District – Uganda
Written by Mbatya Wilberforce- District Water Officer - Iganga District Local Government
Summary
The Government of Uganda and its development partners have contributed much to access to safe
water supply in Iganga district. However, outside the conventional government approach, another approach that is privately driven called self supply is in existence. This local or private initiative where
individuals, households or communities improve their water supplies without relying on external help
started long time ago in Iganga District and has been evolving from rudimentary to better and more
advanced methods over the years. This case explores the role of Iganga District local government in
supporting local/private efforts through provision of technical support, capacity building and water
quality surveillance aimed at enhancing safe and reliable water supply through self supply. These initiatives affirm the fact that local governments can play a big role in stimulating local communities and
local enterprise in improving access to safe and clean water through self supply.
Introduction
Iganga District is found in Eastern part of Uganda with an estimated population of 466,200 people.
Population growth rate of 3.2% and population density of 322 per square Km (population census 2002
projection). Since 2000, the administration boundary of Iganga District has been changing with the
creation of new districts of Bugiri, Mayuge, Namutumba, and recently Luuka District in the year 2000,
2001, 2005 and 2010 respectively.
The District currently has 13 sub-counties, one Municipal council, one Town council, 4 town boards
and 16 rural growth canters. Generally the population of Iganga is basically rural and more engaged in
agricultural but also the emerging urbanization has provided an atmosphere for the industrial sector. The
land surface is characterized by gentle undulating hills with few higher residual features.
Water situation analysis
The District has safe water coverage of 60% and aims at improving the safe water coverage by 3% every
year in rural areas. The District has basically underground water potential and the major water technologies
are shallow wells, deep boreholes, springs and rain water harvesting. It’s only Iganga municipal council
that in the year 2008 got surface water supply extension from Lake Victoria from Jinja Municipal council.
The financing of water supply development has been majorly by Government, Donors, NGO’s and religious
institutions. However it’s worthy to note that private or individuals have contributed a significant percentage
to the water supplies, About 227 water sources have been constructed by households and individuals in
the District of which 122 water sources are to the level of conventional sources. These sources in relation
to technology are distributed as follows:
• Rainwater harvesting 44.9%
• Shallow wells 34.8%
• Deep boreholes 16.2%
• Protected springs 3.9%
• Others 0.2%
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
42
Description of the Case Study
In February 2009, the Ministry of Water and Environment disseminated the self supply concept to District
Water Officers and Community Development Officers in Eastern Uganda. At the end of the meeting
participants pledged to support self supply initiatives by integrating self supply in ongoing activities.
Following the meeting, Iganga district undertook the following activities
1. District politicians and social workers were sensitized on the importance of self supply in complementing
government efforts in achieving access targets. The sensitization meetings were integrated into other
planned activities including advocacy meetings, extension workers meetings and during radio talk
shows. This initiative was welcomed by district politicians and extension workers and these in turn
continuously sensitized community members in the district. Following this initiative the community
demand for support increased but was stifled by the lack of guidelines, communication materials,
financial support and skilled labour at the community level.
2. In a bid to raise the capacity of the local enterprise, the district undertook training and capacity
building of 13 hand pump mechanics in step by step incremental improvement of water sources.
The training emphasized the need for local mechanics to appreciate local initiatives and the need
to support the step by step water source improvement using local resource. The trainings covered
appropriate technology pumps installation and maintenance and the conventional pumps including
U2 and U3 hand pumps as well as the difference between U2 and U3 m hand pumps. NGOs such as
Uganda Village Project and Busoga Trust have been used to pilot water treatment options like Water
Guard and training of masons. Individuals or households providing self water supplies were advised
and guided on construction and water quality issues.
3. The district undertook a self supply baseline survey, for purposes of establishing the technologies in
place, operation and maintenance issues, methods of construction, access and utilization of sources,
and the challenges faced by water private water sources developed. The survey established that
a total number of 227 private water sources were in existence, with varying level of standard and
technology. Basing on the findings the district developed strategies for providing technical support to
improve the workmanship, water quality and build capacity of individuals.
4. Self supply is one of the agenda items for the Iganga District Water and Sanitation Coordination
Committees (DWSCC). This committee meets on the quarterly basis and is chaired by the Chief
Administrative Officer in the district. It has membership of technical staff and civil society organizations
involved in water and sanitation provision in the district. In the meetings stakeholders discuss work
plans, budgets and challenges related to water provision. During these meetings, members provide an
update on self supply activities undertaken.
5. Backed by the water policy, districts have a mandate to regularly monitor and assess conventional
water sources in respect to operation and maintenance status and water quality. Iganga District has
incorporated self supply sources in this activity and during these exercise communities are provided
technical back up support on a number of issues including operation and maintenance, sanitation
aspects and water quality issues. In addition, communities in Urban and Rural Growth Centres have
been provided support in water quality testing upon request.
6. There exists no budgetary provision for self supply in the districts work plan. The district makes use
of the existing software budget provision to provide technical support, carry out monitoring, water
quality surveillance and training. The District Water Office has a responsibility of overseeing all water
and sanitation activities, develops a follow up plan and makes reports for accountability.
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Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Main results, challenges and lessons learnt
Achievements
Capacity and skills of 13 hand pump mechanics have improved in step with the incremental improvement
of water sources. These hand pump mechanics are currently offering support to private water source
developers.
Through collaboration with NGOs, water disinfectants are being sold to communities to improve on the
water quality at sources. Households with unimproved water sources have the option of purifying water
for domestic use.
The attitude and perception of politicians and extension workers towards the low standard water sources
in communities has changed. This has been as a result of a sustained advocacy and promotion campaigns
on radio, and during advocacy and extension workers meetings.
The demand for technical support for self supply water source development has increased. Private
individuals and households can now access technical support and operation and maintenance from
extension operation and maintenance free of charge.
Challenges
Water sources that are open have turbid water while those covered require the surrounding to be kept
clean as compared to drilled boreholes and covered shallow wells that have been found with a good
water quality.
Domestic rain water harvesting tanks tend to have a small capacity because people cannot afford to build
bigger tanks; emptied during the dry season and therefore can only work during the rainy season.
Siting deep and shallow wells needs technical input particularly in the area of construction such that the
water source is reliable and free from contamination.
There is a pool of artisans who, with more training, could professionally construct water facilities.
Certain construction materials have become expensive.
Lessons
Much more needs to be done in term of communicating the benefits of self supply which is a relatively
new concept in Sub- Saharan Africa and especially in Uganda. Support to private water source owners by
government and NGOs is relatively new in the rural water and sanitation sector.
Self supply initiatives in Iganga district have been associated with the high population growth rate in
areas with few or no water sources. With a population growth of 3.2% water sources provided are found
to be crowded especially in trading centres leading to delays in collection of water. Therefore, communities
in rural areas with water sources that are crowded and distant find it necessary and convenient to have
their own water sources nearer.
The desire for water for production and income has been associated with private water source development.
A number of Individuals and households have constructed self supply sources to provide water for chicken
and cattle farming. There are also instances of innovative business men selling this water at a small fee.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The institutional, human and financial resources of District Local Governments are a good entry point for
up scaling self supply in Uganda. However, for the local governments to sustainably support and promote
self supply there is a need for support in the following areas
• The sector needs to develop and disseminate clear policies and guidelines for extension workers,
private sector and community in implementing self supply initiatives.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
44
• The capacity of the private sector including masons, well diggers and hand pump mechanics needs to
be built in order to improve the standard of developed water sources.
• Demonstration facilities, for step by step incremental improvement of water sources, need to be
constructed in districts.
• Private source developers need to be assisted through subsidies.
References
Government of Uganda(1995) Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,
Government of Uganda (un dated) Rural Water and Sanitation Hand Book for Extension Workers-Vol. 1
Community Management
Government of Uganda (un dated) Rural Water and Sanitation Hand Book for Extension Workers, Vol. 2
Technological Options
MWE (1999) Uganda National Water policy, Ministry of Water and Environment, Kampala Uganda.
MWE (2007) District implementation Manuals for Water and Sanitation sector, Ministry of Water and
Environment, Kampala Uganda.
MWE (2006). National Water Quality Management Strategy. Ministry of Water and Environment,
Kampala Uganda.
MWE (2010). Uganda Water Supply Atlas. Ministry of Water and Environment, Kampala Uganda.
45
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Improving Access, Reliability and Quality of Self Supply Sources
In Amuria District
Written By Opua MosesWera Development Agency (WEDA)
Photo: WaterAid/ Caroline Irby
Improving functionality and sustainability of water sources through community based hand-pump mechanics
Summary
The commonest and most reliable self supply initiative existing in Amuria districts are Open springs
which are prone to contamination and mostly individual or community owned. WEDA in the interest
of undertaking a participatory process, effectively rallied the communities of Asamuk and Wera sub
counties in Amuria district to improve the water quality of these sources.
Description of the initiative
Existing Self-supply initiatives in the sub-counties of Asamuk and Wera in Amuria districts were
supported by Wera Development Agency (WEDA). This organisation played a listening and supportive
role on communities’ innovative self supply water sources.
The commonest and most reliable self supply initiative existing in this area was open springs which are
prone to contamination. In addition a significantly high number of would-be latrines became self supply
wells.
This initiative was built on an already existing community strength of a mechanism of sustaining wells
‘unprotected water sources’, WEDA in the interest of undertaking a participatory process, looked at
effectively rallying on the communities of Asamuk and Wera sub counties in Amuria district to improve
already existing self supply sources.
The supportive role of WEDA involved a three step approach as indicated below
• Mobilised communities to improve their water sources by focusing on identifying contamination
sources
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
46
• Improving/upgrading the identified sources,
• Awareness creation on the concept of SS
The following actions were carried out to achieve improvements in water quality
1. Conducting a technical survey
2. Carrying out Appropriate community dialogue to market the self supply concept
3. Making appropriate technical drawings to develop the self supply system,
4. Fencing of the water reservoirs,
5. Upgrading water sources,
6. Improving hygiene and sanitation around the sources.
During the implementation WEDA worked in close coordination and collaboration with the community,
Sub County, District Water Office, Cranfield University students and Technical Advisors from the Directorate
of Water Development on various issues including technological options.
Open spring and open well in Asamuk and Wera sub county
Individuals and communities contributed the local materials, both in kind and cash that were used in
improving the water sources. Local masons were mobilized from within the communities who provided
skilled labour that was needed in upgrading the water sources.
Major drivers of the process and success
The success of the project were attributed to the individual and community commitment to the project
and their willingness to participate in the upgrading of their sources by contributing local materials (in
kind and in cash) and attending meetings.
Using the local masons to provide skilled labour needed in upgrading the water sources
The sub county leadership and the District Water office gave support in coordination and collaboration
and critical technical advice.
The directorate of Water Development (DWD) provided technical support including giving guidance on the
technological and sanitation options undertaken during project implementation
The technical support given by the students of Cranfield University in actual implementation and monitoring
of the water quality surveillance
Resources
The main activities carried out by communities included Community contributions of local materials, time
and food, excavation of their wells, digging the drainage channels and local labour which were considered
as direct resources contribution from communities/households. These resources in kind and cash provided
47
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
by the households was estimated at 800,000/= (eight hundred thousand shillings). The unit price of this
technology design (the Canzee pump), was 390,000 USh per pump (as per 2008) while the spring well
was estimated at 180,000/=. The estimated cost for the support offered was at 950,000/= and these costs
were related to human resource, utilities, mobilisation costs, trainings, and other hardware materials.
The external resources that were needed for the implementation of this project was in form of grants from
DWD, UWASNET and Richard carter (provided the pumps) and this included but limited to transportation
of materials, procurement of other items/materials, and facilitation of staff and installation of Canzee
pumps.
Successes
Major successes of the project included; Consultation meetings with the District and the Sub County
local authorities conducted, community awareness and understanding of the project was realised as a
result of sensitisation (Advocacy meetings), selection criteria for beneficiaries developed, collaboration
and coordination with District water office, documentation of best practices and, upgrading of 20 water
sources benefiting 400 people has enabled households to have vegetable gardens and fruit gardens
which has increased their household incomes
A gentleman said “if we can contribute more than 50% then it means we could always stand alone with
the knowledge we get from NGOs in implementing some activities that mostly need local resources.
One community member of Dokoro said “this project is doing something good to communities, I also
want to make my own then you help me with the technical support?”
Lessons learnt
• This project aroused individual and group demands to make their own private sources because they
observed the benefits from the first beneficiaries of the project.
• There is need for adequate time for Mobilization and Sensitization (Preferably 1 year) to allow the
community to appreciate the concept and the required level of participation.
• Community criticism, opinions and fears refined WEDA implementation of self supply project.
• Evidence of existing private water sources initiatives helped WEDA and local authorities learn that there
is potential to support such initiatives often left out in the conventional implementation process
• Willingness by the private source owners to fully contribute towards the project increased and motivated
the sense of ownership. The observation made was that the self supply project was seen to be more
replicated and promoted by the private source individuals who had bias on agriculture more so the
fruit growers. A gentleman said “if we can contribute more than 80% then it means we could always
stand alone with the knowledge we get from NGOs in implementing some activities that mostly need
local resources
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
48
• The Canzee pump is best used and maintained by household and this kind of technology can only work
on shallow hand dug wells. the installation of the Canzee pump calls for review because it only favours
the young not the old as seen from the photo below
Problem of bending as the pump is short
Challenges
• Overwhelming demand for private water sources from within and outside Amuria district, especially
from farmers. One community member who adopted the project (Mr Apedu) said “if I could get some
little support from your organisation to complete my well, it would make me have a simple irrigation
system for my orchard”
• It takes time for the communities to understand what self supply is all about
• Fear among the communities that self supply improvements would deny them the opportunity to
receive superior technologies
• The abstraction methods used in the self-supply sources poses some risks to the quality of the water
49
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Promoting self supply: the process and lessons of Jinja District
Local Government
Written by Ereemye David District Water Officer - Jinja
Summary
Jinja is one of the districts in Eastern part of Uganda that was first introduced to the Self Supply concept. This came about at the time when the Ministry of Water and Environment organised a Workshop
on Self Supply for the Eastern Region held in Mbale District. Using lessons from this workshop Jinja
District local government has implemented Self supply through Advocacy, Sensitisation and provision
of technical advice leading to increased access. This paper provides insights into how DLGs can adopt
self supply and some challenges in successful and reliable institutional support for self supply.
Introduction
Jinja District is situated in the Eastern part of Uganda about 80km from the capital Kampala. The current
safe water coverage stands at 65% assuming 100% functionality of all water sources in the District. In
a bid to increase access to rural water supply, the district had an opportunity to attend a workshop on
Self Supply organised by the Ministry of Water and Environment for Eastern Region held in Mbale. Having
noted that the Self Supply concept is a supplementary approach to increased community water supply
in Uganda, an action plan and commitment was drawn up to promote and support the initiative in Jinja
District.
After the Self Supply workshop held in Mbale, the DWO-Jinja District organised to carry out activities in
form of sensitisation, advocacy meetings, data collection initiatives and provision of technical support to
communities and stakeholders to support and promote the self supply initiative.
Description of the initiative
Implementation of self supply in the district involved three distinct phases including Advocacy for self
supply, Data collection and provision of technical support as follows;
1. Sensitization and Advocacy
Sensitisation and Advocacy was carried out through meetings held at district and sub-county levels as
a means of support from both technical and political leaders within the district.
• District sensitisation and Advocacy
The sensitization and advocacy meeting in self supply were kicked off during the District Advocacy
workshop on Water and Sanitation. This workshop was attended by the District Political leadership,
NGOs, technical staff & the press.
• District Water and Sanitation Co-ordination Committee (DWSCC) meetings: During these meetings
there was a general consensus that the concept should be supported and promoted by all
stakeholders.
• Sub-county Advocacy workshop.
- These workshops were held in all the six rural sub-counties of Jinja District. The participants also
included sub-county political leadership, technical staff, CBOs, CDOs, PDCs and the concept was
well received as manifested by the number of questions asked by the participants.
• Social Mobilisers meetings: The Social Mobilisers were also introduced to this concept and the
Social Mobilisers were tasked to start identifying the self supply water sources in their sub-counties
and support them in training care takers and users in best practices for operation and maintenance,
Hygiene and Sanitation.
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
50
2. Data Collection
During the WATSUP programme, the department emphasized to the social mobilizers/Data Collectors
to look out for self supply sources and to establish the state of these sources and the support
needed. This information was used to inform the process of planning for technical assistance to be
provided to the community
3. Provision of Technical Support
The Department in has provided technical advice to individuals/communities/organizations where
need be. This support has been in the following areas:-Reconnaissance
- Sitting of the water sources
- Appropriate technological options.
- Mobilization and Sensitization of the communities on roles and responsibilities of all
stakeholders in Water & Sanitation.
- Training of caretakers in preventive maintenance
- Training of Hand Pump Mechanics in appropriate technologies for Water Supply.
Resources
Some of the percentage used to promote the self supply initiatives is obtained from the conditional grant
as well as support from NGOs in the water sector operating in the district.
Challenges
i. Reluctance to declare / hide self supply initiatives by the communities with a fear that government will
take them away / close them because of the condition in which they are.
ii. High level of interest generated in local leaders with a presumption that this is a new government
project that will support individuals to construct their own water sources.
iii. Self supply initiatives in the municipality are a challenge to the NW&SC system since they affect their
supply volumes / sales hence the corporation wants them closed down since the owners do not have
letters of consent from them and permits from the Ministry of Water and Environment.
iv. Lack of funding specifically targeting self supply initiates in the district.
v. Reduced overall funding for Water and Sanitation activities in the district due to creation of new
districts yet the overall ceiling for all the districts is not increased. This has led to the scaling down
of all WATSAN activities including those geared towards self supply.
Recommendations
So as noted above, the support and promotion of the self supply concept in Jinja District has been mainly
in the form of Advocacy, sensitization and provision of technical advice.
However, in order to promote the self supply concept the following needs to be done in terms of
institutional support:
i. There is need for a clear policy on the self supply concept outlining the support to individuals,
committees and organizations who wish to put up or improve their water sources. The support could
range from technical Advice and support, financial support and any other support that could motivate
individual or organizations to take up the initiative.
ii. There is need to provide local governments or water departments with funds to support the initiative.
The funds could be used in areas such as conducting a baseline survey on the self supply initiative
in the District so as to identify all self supply water sources. This will enable the district to grade
them according to whether they can be improved on or not, whether this can be done locally by
the community or external support is required and whether it can be improved to serve a wider
community. The funds will also be used in mobilizing communities and sensitizing them about the
initiative, its benefits and the support expected from the District & Central Government.
iii.Identification of development partners to support the private individuals/ communities. There is
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Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
need for the District to identify other development Partners in their areas to support communities
that need to improve their own water sources. There development partners could come up with
cheaper technological options and funding in terms of cost sharing in percentage terms with those
communities that intend to improve their own water sources.
iv. Identification of cheaper technological options and cheaper or subsidized materials for communities
that need to take up the initiative. This will help on reducing the costs that would have otherwise
scared the intending communities.
v. So in order to promote the self supply concept, there is need for strengthening of the institutional
support for the initiative by putting in place the above measures. The above measures will help
in advocating for and popularizing the concept, identification of funding Agencies and cheaper
technological options and motivating communities and organizations.
vi. This concept if promoted successfully will go a long way in reducing on the percentage of the unserved hence curbing a lot of water borne diseases and reducing poverty by reducing the disease
burden in the communities.
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52
Chapter 5: Enhancing Private Sector and marketing products/
services
Putting Women at the forefront in accelerating self supply through Domestic Rain
Water Harvesting
Written by Dorothy Baziwe, Liaison Officer Uganda Rainwater Association Uganda
Summary
Domestic rainwater harvesting in Uganda is considered a self supply approach. Women groups from
different districts in Uganda have been engaged in promotion of rain water harvesting through building their capacity to construct, operate, maintain and finance the systems. This age old approach is
now being sought after as a solution to provide supplementary and sometimes primary water sources
for households in Uganda. In rural Uganda today, rainwater harvesting is becoming more relevant in
providing water for households as it provides a water source that is convenient. This case points out
the efforts of Uganda Rain water Harvesting association in empowering women groups to improve access to safe water through Rain Water Harvesting and thereby accelerating self supply.
Introduction
Rainwater harvesting is an age old approach that is used to provide supplementary and sometimes primary
water sources for households in Uganda. In rural Uganda today, rainwater harvesting is becoming more
relevant in providing water for households as it provides a water source that is convenient. The Ugandan
Rainwater Harvesting Association (URWA) was formed in order to raise the profile of rainwater harvesting
in Uganda and has done so through building the capacity of common interest groups in skills to provide
rainwater harvesting facilities for their households. These groups include; associations, Non Governmental
Organisations (NGOs), Community Based
Organisations (CBOs), youth groups,
women groups and interested individuals.
One of the initiatives used to promote
rainwater harvesting in Uganda by
URWA is to build the capacity of women
groups so as to facilitate the up take
of rainwater harvesting. This case study
shows how women groups have taken
up skills and outlines the formation,
training and outcomes of targeting
women groups as a means to increase
rainwater harvesting as a self supply option in Uganda. it looks at their sustainability; their challenges
and seeks to inform on the existing gaps and opportunities that can be used to scale up the use of
women groups in facilitating the up scale of self supply through rainwater harvesting in Uganda.
Description of the Case Study – Approach or technology
As a result of the introduction of rainwater harvesting initiative in Uganda, URWA participated in a number
of pilot projects in Kabale, Isingiro, Rakai, and Kamuli funded by the Ministry of Water and Environment.
As a result of these pilot projects, URWA took up the initiative of training women groups in promotion of
rainwater harvesting. Four basic components as shown below:
• Selection of Representatives: Members were selected from different women groups in a district to be
trained
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Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
• Training in construction, operation, maintenance and promotion of rainwater harvesting facilities.
• Financing: The initiatives involved a consortia of actors: URWA partners with a development partner
e.g.: in Rakai, Arua, Koboko Yumbe and Adjumani, the development partner was SNV the Netherlands
development organisation, while in Mpigi, and Soroti the partner was WaterAid in Uganda. These
partners provide funding for the trainings and a portion of the materials used in the training.
• Harnessing the role of the District local government: The district water officers worked closely with
URWA to train the women groups. They also took on the role of community mobilisation, beneficiary
selection and in cases of districts like Koboko, Rakai, Yumbe and Adjumani; they also contributed part
of the cost of the materials and the responsibility of up scaling rainwater harvesting.
The training was the main component of the initiatives and was carried out through the following process
1. Select members from different women groups to represent their different sub counties: this was an
effort done by URWA and the district local government majorly stressing the participation of the
District Local Government authorities to ensure that they follow up the women and provide technical
support after the initiative
2. Mobilise communities to collect funds and apply for the facilities on a cost shared basis The beneficiaries
provided locally available materials like the hardcore and aggregates; river sand (in areas where it was
readily available) water and meals for the labourers.
3. Hold advocacy workshop within the district to introduce rainwater harvesting; and raise awareness of
the communities: The district facilitated the process of community awareness campaigns and ensured
that there was wide spread reach of the project activities and benefits.
4. The technical training is carried out, where demonstration facilities and some beneficiary facilities
are constructed together with the trainees and the technical persons in the districts. Sustainability is
ensured by training some staff from the district local government and the town council to ensure there
is continuity of training, monitoring and supervision.
5. Training in software aspects of rainwater harvesting. This involves the development of manuals;
training in operations and maintenance; training in promotion of rainwater harvesting, advocacy and
raising community demands to decision makers and donors.
6. Awarding of certificates and placement the women and other trainees are awarded with certification
and recognition by the partners, and planning is done for a promotional phase in which more facilities
are constructed. This was done also in partnership with the District Local Governments to ensure that
the women could continue providing services accepted by the communities at sub county and district
level. This highlights the role of district authorities in the initiative. By including the District Local
Government there is increased accountability and the levels of trust within the community members
is increased to ensure that they can source the services of these women even at the end of projects
and trainings.
One of the women: Robinah Nalukenge, or “Mama
Senkayi” as she is commonly known to the local
community she serves, has become a skilled
mason and is actively promoting the construction
and use of rainwater jars in the area. Her group:
Tusitukirewamu Women group has gone on to
construct over 50 rainwater jars in Gomba district.
As a result of the planning and training, advocacy
for the rainwater harvesting facilities is done and
more personal initiatives are developed. Rainwater
Harvesting as a self supply initiative has been
greatly accelerated as a result of this venture.
Indicators of the acceleration are: revolving
initiative of construction and fund collection till all
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
54
members have benefited: women groups direct collaboration with donors and district local governments
to provide more facilities: construction of privately funded facilities.
In the particular districts the marked success due to the capacity building of women groups is:
• In Rakai district: 4 tanks were constructed in Kagamba Sub County using a revolving fund initiative
from collection of funds gained from group’s seasonal agricultural profits. In Mbale Sub County, the
women group have built 5 tanks by soliciting funds from World Vision. The first tanks were constructed
with funds entirely from the women’s savings and each tank
• In Koboko district, 2 water jars and a ferro-cement
tank have been constructed by the trainees. A
number of community members have requested
for information on rainwater harvesting which is
provided by the trainees rather than sourcing for
skilled persons from Kampala. The district local
government ear-marked 23 million Uganda shillings
for the procurement of materials like cement wire
mesh and others while the beneficiaries contributed
towards local materials like sand hard core and
aggregates, water and meals for the labourers.
In addition SNV contributed towards URWA’s
professional fees (a sum of 8 million Uganda
shillings); field accommodation meals and transport.
• In Mpigi and Gomba districts: the women groups
have gone on to build over 50 rainwater jars in a period
of six months, funded by Water Aid through Busoga Trust. The major funding came from WaterAid to
construct the 50 water jars in one Sub County. The locals again contributed local materials that were
meant to subsidize the cost per jar while the district local government contributed mainly technical
support and certification of the trainees
Achievements
The achievements of the capacity building initiative are:
• Increased collaboration with government structures
in areas where the projects collaborated with the
district local government.
• Production of income generating initiatives for both
the beneficiaries and the trainees of the project.
• Advocacy and awareness raising has been done by
the community groups and is therefore considered
more effective than being done by the donors or
third party actors.
• Involvement of communities in project planning
and implementation enables them to control
project outcomes.
• Decreased cost of construction of rainwater
facilities enabling even the marginalised groups to
afford them through the various schemes existing.
Challenges
Despite the remarkable success recorded from the capacity building of women groups to promote rainwater
harvesting, there also some challenges to this initiative. The challenges to women groups in promoting
rainwater harvesting include:
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Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
• The commitment of members to their groups: in some cases, the members are not very committed to
their groups and the groups are disbanded after a period leading to low chances of skills development
and replication.
• Community willingness to collaborate with the women groups to promote rainwater harvesting: in
some cases e.g. in Nebbi district the communities did not welcome the initiative of using women
groups to construct facilities and this hindered the replication of the project in the area.
• Prolonged drought seasons: as a result the relevance of the rainwater harvesting facilities was
questioned and the groups did not construct facilities. The drought tends to push trainees to opt for
other water sources and as a result they forget their skills.
• Capacity to mobilize funds: in some areas the capacity of the women groups to mobilize funds is still
low as a result the skills remain dormant and are eventually forgotten.
• Lack of coordination: in areas like Arua and Nebbi the challenge of coordination was faced because
the initiators of the projects did not coordinate their activities through the district local government.
This hindered follow up and assurance of continuity of the project.
• Perception of donors and district local governments: in some areas the authorities and the funding
parties did not take up the use of community skills to promote rainwater harvesting but instead stuck
to use of contractors and sourced skilled labour. This lead to low up take of the community initiative
and the costs of the facilities remained high.
Lessons learnt
The viability of rainwater harvesting in Uganda has been proven starting with small projects that grow
bigger and is steadily accelerating self supply through out the country. The emphasis of the project efforts
has been to make rainwater harvesting a mainstream option of water supply, so that it will continue its
spread after the project support has come to an end. Now with political will, the combination of public
administration with the projects is improving the sustainability of construction of water jars and tanks in
the area. Looking back, the lessons learned about capacity building of women groups to make rainwater
harvesting sustainable are:
Involving the stakeholders: Involvement of relevant stakeholders right from the beginning, the ultimate
beneficiaries being the most important ones. They certainly have their own views, ideas and suggestions
that will help to attain the goal of sustainability. The women groups in particular are good organizations
for promoting sustainable rainwater harvesting. For example, involving the district local governments
ensured that the projects created collaboration between the women and the district authorities that will
continue to exist and ensure that the women are technically supported.
Appropriate technology: Building of capacity of women groups in construction/operation of the rainwater
harvesting systems ensures that there is continuity of the projects through skills transference and
development.
Political level: Involvement of politicians in rainwater harvesting enables its inclusion on the district
political agenda and eventual funding of such technologies.
Cost of Rainwater facilities: Costs of the rainwater facilities are decisive for a massive uptake of rainwater
harvesting and there are efforts to reducing these costs. It has been learned that the potential of
households and local communities to mobilize their own funds for sustainability is high. With empowered
women groups and locally available skills; it is easy for individuals to collect funds to acquire their own
jars or tanks especially with the lowered cost of the tanks. The rainwater jars usually cost a household
a sum of 350,000 Uganda shillings with out subsidy but within the groups the cost can be subsidized to
250,000 due to cost sharing and reduced labour (this cost is estimated at 125 US dollars without subsidy
and 95 US dollars with the beneficiary contributions).This is easy to collect within groups that tend to
take on revolving fund activities
Duration of construction: The groups are able to construct the water jars in a period of one week. This is
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
56
much shorter period compared to groups and masons in other areas. This is a best practice that should
be shared in other areas so as to improve the construction of water jars in Uganda as a whole.
Economic activities: With water now at the doorstep, economic activities might be possible to improve
finances in the households in order to pay back the costs for the rainwater harvesting systems and to
enable the group to build more tanks faster. More so, the women groups have other activities they are
involved in that help to produce funding for the rainwater jars/ tanks.
Impact of rainwater harvesting projects:
• Clean and sufficient water available at homesteads.
• Time and energy is saved and can be invested into more productive work.
• Women and children relieved of the burden of walking long and tiresome distances in search of water.
Women have now time to attend literacy classes and other development meetings.
• Improved academic performance of children at schools as they have time to attend school and do their
homework.
• Improved cleanliness and general hygiene at homes.
• Reduced incidences of water related diseases.
• Reduced expenditure on water supply (in case they pay for transport), have more money to spend on
necessary investments.
• Convenient and accessible water creating peace of mind for women and confidence to do productive
work in order to break the vicious circle of poverty.
• It can therefore be concluded that putting women at the forefront in accelerating self supply is an
initiative that is relevant and easily maintainable with the opportunity for scaling up to other rural
areas.
• A major recommendation that Uganda Rainwater Association can make is to use the capacity building
initiative targeting districts and regions so as to spread the skills out through the country and eventually
other nations.
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Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Conclusions and Recommendations
The experiences presented at the forum indicate that there is no doubt self-supply is a worthwhile
approach. The discussions in the learning forum provided several recommendations on how it can be
taken forward as follows:
On policy
Water sector policies in Uganda are largely silent on self supply. In addition no investment plans and
financing mechanisms have been defined. The institutional roles in terms of planning, financing, regulation,
O&M and M&E are weak. The policies do not consider equity and inclusion issues.
Recommendations from participants:
• Aligning self supply to on-going
sector initiatives such as demand
creation, sanitation and income
generation
• Sites to promote self supply
technologies should be mapped
• Cross cutting issues like water
quality, sanitation, water
catchment management, gender
and equity issues should be
integrated in self supply
Self supply technologies
Rope pumps if scaled up have to potential to improve safe water
access in many rural Uganda households
Various technologies exist on the
open market but for a consumer to
access them at an affordable price,
government has to support and
strengthen the supply chain. This can
be realized through
• Subsidizing technologies to cater
for vulnerable groups and poor
communities
• Taping into and promote technologies derived from indigenous knowledge.
• Providing technical support to local innovators and manufacturers
Financing self-supply
Though it is generally agreed that self supply is a non-subsidy investment, sector actors have to support
the financing of software components such as advocacy, mobilization, communication and provision
of technical support to local initiatives. Government is also seen as an enabler of the approach thus it
should effectively regulate the economic environment, the following recommendations were made;
• Government should provide a fund that will contribute to creating an enabling environment to foster
self supply.
• Government should clearly define its role in the promotion self supply especially in terms of regulating
technologies and micro-financing
• Opportunities for innovative self supply funding mechanisms need to be explored including alignment
to NAADS and SACCOS.
• The micro finance centre is a viable actor that needs to be engaged in financing self supply
Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
58
Institutional support
In trying to understand the strategic institutional direction necessary to promote self supply, participants
established that advocacy efforts should target the right people, i.e. local leaders, technical, national
and local artisans. This should go hand in hand with the required level of capacity building at all levels
in areas of technical, financing and social marketing. The sector has to build capacity to provide post
construction support for self supply which calls on district local governments to clearly plan for such
interventions as part of their long term software budgets.
Capacity of the private sector
Sustainability of the self supply model depends on the capacity of local artisans and organized community
groups like women groups that are key in promoting household water access improvement programs.
Participants proposed that self supply initiatives should provide incentives to promote local innovation
through reduction of taxes on materials and designing appropriate technologies that meet the needs of
various consumers.
This publication is printed with support from
WaterAid in Uganda, Plot 90, Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi,
P.O. Box 11759, Kampala, Tel: +256-414 -505795/7,
Email: [email protected], Website: www.wateraid.org/uganda