Govt to phase out shallow wells

The Ministry of Water and Environment has embarked on a plan to phase out shallow wells in rural areas as part of efforts to ensure access to clean and safe water for all Ugandans and also to conserve the environment. The initiative aims to replace the often-contaminated and unreliable shallow wells with more sustainable piped water sources, including deep boreholes and solar-powered pumps. In Uganda, shallow wells have long served as a lifeline for rural communities providing water for drinking, cooking, and farming. However, the Ministry of Water and Environment, in collaboration with GOAL Uganda and other partners, is now working to phase them out as part of a broader strategy to improve rural water access and reliability. This transition aligns with the government’s revised Operations and Maintenance policy under the Community-Based Management System Plus, a framework aimed at ensuring the long-term functionality of rural water systems through better financing, accountability, and innovation.

Mr Wilfred Okello, a water and sanitation specialist at the Water ministry, emphasised the need for more reliable water systems in rural areas. “Operations and maintenance are key. Once a water facility is established, it should provide water consistently without interruption. That’s why we are now focusing on more sustainable systems,” he said. During a meeting last Thursday in Mbale, Mr Okello highlighted the ministry’s plan to transition from shallow wells and other point sources to piped water systems. “One of the issues we’re discussing is the continued reliance on shallow wells. We’re looking at moving toward piped water systems to ensure people access clean and safe water more efficiently,” he said. “With piped systems, people don’t have to walk long distances like they do with traditional point sources. And the water quality is significantly better,” he added.

However, Mr Okello acknowledged that the transition comes with challenges. “The investment cost for piped water is quite high and requires a more advanced level of operation and maintenance. We have already seen communities struggle to maintain boreholes now imagine when a pipe breaks down. It’s even more complex,” he said. Despite these challenges, Mr Okello said the ministry is committed to gradually rolling out piped systems to ensure long-term access to safe water. Ms Catherine Orishaba, a principal engineer at the Water ministry and regional manager for the Mbale office that oversees Elgon, Bukedi, Busoga, and parts of Sebei Sub-region, said some of these areas lack access to safe water. “In Busoga, for instance, we have areas with high iron content in the water. In Namayingo, there are serious salinity issues,” she said. Mr Ahmed Sentumbwe, a principal engineer at the Water ministry’s Development Directorate, described the shift as a strategic move. “While shallow wells have served communities for decades, they’re prone to contamination and often dry up during certain seasons,” he said.

Opinion

Ms Harriet Agemo, the project manager for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) at Welthungerhilfe, said in many areas, shallow wells have been the backbone of water access and easier to rehabilitate when they break down. She warned that piped systems come with significant maintenance costs. “They require huge investments. We’ve seen cases where a pipe bursts or a pump fails, and it takes weeks or even months to repair due to limited budgets or procurement delays. Shallow wells, on the other hand, are cheaper and quicker to fix,” Ms Agemo said.