Masindi residents grappling with unsafe water
MASINDI, November 9, 2023 – Residents of Kimengo Sub-county and Kijunjubwa town council in Masindi district are grappling with the lack of safe water sources, saying the prevalence of waterborne diseases is high in the localities.
Speaking to theCooperator, Bright Mugume, the LCIII chairperson of Kimengo Sub-county said residents have been sharing water sources with animals for decades.
Kijunjubwa town council, Kimengo and Kijunjubwa sub-counties form the water corridor of Masindi district even though the area has a low water table.
Mugume said the only solution to the water problem is extending piped water in the area.
“Water in the boreholes we have is contaminated. People have now resorted to collecting unsafe water from unsafe sources which is risky to their lives. We request both Masindi District Local Government and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation [NSWC] to come to our rescue,” he said.
He added that the high disease burden in the areas has contributed to poverty because people spend most of the time in hospitals but also buy drugs to treat themselves, meaning they are left with little time and money to engage in production.
The mayor of Kijunjubwa town council, Juss Yahaya said that the story is not different from Kimengo Sub-county, saying some locals share water sources with livestock.
“Most of our boreholes broke down and we are on the verge of contracting waterborne diseases. In Kijunjubwa Sub-county and Kijunjubwa town council, we have about 20 boreholes but they are not enough,” he added.
Some of the leaders who spoke to theCooperator expressed disappointment with Masindi District Local Government leadership, saying they did not construct enough boreholes.
“We were allocated Shs 100 million for boreholes but nothing much was done by the responsible district officials,” said Lydia Kabajulizi a resident of Myeba village.
When contacted, the district LCV Chairperson Masindi, Cosmas Byaruhanga, confirmed the shortage of water in the area, saying more boreholes are needed since they money allocated for this purpose was inadequate.
He said they are working with NWSC to boost water supply in the district.
https://thecooperator.news/masindi-councillors-speaker-clash-over-garbage-collection/
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