Self Supply Experiences in Uganda
Post date: Sep 03, 2012 1:48:31 PM
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 withwhom 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.
Adapted from Self Supply experiences in Uganda