Joy as solar-powered borehole ends more than 40 years of water shortage in Nebbi villages
Residents said the lack of safe water, had exposed them to waterborne diseases
NEBBI, November 26, 2025 — Excitement has swept through seven villages in Abar West Parish, Ndhew Sub-county in Nebbi District following the commissioning of a solar-powered borehole, ending more than 40 years of severe water scarcity.
Residents said the lack of safe water, had exposed them to waterborne diseases. They said at least 10 cases of diarrhoea were reported every month. However, they believe the newly installed piped water system will improve livelihoods and significantly reduce the risk of disease.
Jenerosa Wiyajik, 65, a resident of Palyec Central Village, described the project as a “game changer”. For decades, the community relied on contaminated streams shared with livestock.
Wiyajik, who oversees a public water stand at her home, says the availability of piped water has greatly improved her quality of life. She previously walked long distances in search of water and, due to her age, sometimes went to bed without any.
“I really thank God for bringing development in our old age,” she said. “Water was a big problem in the community. People spent hours at the few available sources, and some marriages even broke down because men became suspicious of their wives taking too long to fetch water.”
She added that she now earns about Shs 10,000 per day from selling water. Part of the money goes towards household needs, maintaining the water pipes, and saving for any emergencies.
William Okwir Asa, Chairperson of the Water User Committee in Abar West Parish, said that an additional 44 water points have been established to address the area’s water challenges. Villages now connected to the system include Omoyo Central, Omoyo North, Lengi and Awo Palyec North, among others.
To ensure sustainability, the community has agreed that part of the revenue collected from public water stands will be used for maintaining and repairing the system.
“The connection and extension of piped water is for willing customers who pay according to the cost of materials and the distance covered,” Okwir explained.
Eunice Atimanga, the District Female Councillor for Ndhew Sub-county, noted that the hilly terrain has long hindered development efforts. She said that poor roads and inadequate infrastructure have left the sub-county underdeveloped.
“Only seven villages in one parish currently have access to clean water. What about the rest of the sub-county?” she asked. “Ndhew Seed School is due to be commissioned in a few months, where will the school get water if it is not planned for?”
Noel Muhangi, Senior Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Water and Environment [MWE], said the solar-powered borehole is bringing renewed hope to rural communities by providing safe water. The initiative particularly benefits women and children who previously walked long distances to collect water from unsafe sources.
According to Muhangi, the project, implemented by MWE through Nexus Green Limited, serves more than 5,000 people across seven villages: Palyec Central, Omoyo North, Lengi, Awu, Nguthe, Ambere and Palyec Nyonguki, all in Abar West, Ndhew Subcounty. The system is powered by 36 solar panels and pumps up to 257.9 cubic metres of water per day.
“The installation of the Shs 170 million solar-powered water system on Apany Hill, with an 18-cubic-metre tank, is intended to expand water access further so that water shortages become a thing of the past,” Muhangi said.
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