By Chris Mugasha
BUSHENYI: As a measure of water source protection, National Water and Sewarage Cooperation (NWSC) will provide improved livelihood options to residents neighboring the recently constructed Warugo water catchment area. This is in accordance with the water source protection guidelines.
Technical analysis and stakeholder engagements have been finalized to ensure improved water quality and reliable water quantity in the Warugo catchment area.
Warugo is situated at the converging point/centre of the sub counties of Kyamuhunga, Kakanju and Bitooma in Bushenyi District in Western Uganda. It will serve Kyamuhunga, Kyamuhunga Town council, Kakanju Sub County, Bitooma Town council, Nyabubare Sub County, Kizinda Town council, Nkanga Sub County and Ruhumuro sub county.
The wetlands that feed Warugo most of which have been drained or being drained constitute the main surface water source in the catchment and also influence the nature and distribution of fauna and flora in the catchment.
The flora has greatly reduced to give way for agriculture activities especially tea farming while fauna is reducing due to decrease in their respective natural habitat.
Current threats to water source include; deforestation and vegetation loss, cultivation within the wetland, faecal contamination due to poor sanitation, soil erosion and sedimentation, fertilizer agriculture runoffs, siltation, over grazing and bush fires.
According to NWSC, the planned interventions, activities and investments that are dependent upon water sources include; the construction of safe water supply systems comprising an increase in the number of water point systems, improvement of sanitary services, improvement to the stock and purity of roads in the district, urban and community access road networks, developing of raw water source and treatment plant, sewerage system construction, improvement in agricultural technology and farmers access to market, research and market information and support to re-afforestation and forestation to both public and private land.
With the above interventions, Warugo water treatment plant will increase water supply in Bushenyi district and the surrounding areas. End.
