Worry as Kayunga rain water harvesting project closes
What you need to know:
- But Mr Stephen Ssemutumba, the BUVAD executive director, on Tuesday said their US-based funders, TGE, were adversely affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic forcing them to suspend funding to BUVAD.
The bottle-brick technology that was started in 2011 to improve sanitation in some parts of Kayunga District has closed due to lack of funds.
The project has, among others, helped to fight environmental degradation through construction of rain water harvesting tanks and toilets using waste plastic bottles.
Spearheaded by Butakoola Village Association for Development (BUVAD) the project has benefitted at least 20,000 residents in seven sub-counties of the district.
But Mr Stephen Ssemutumba, the BUVAD executive director, on Tuesday said their US-based funders, TGE, were adversely affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic forcing them to suspend funding to BUVAD.
“We could not go on with the project due to lack of funds. Although plastic bottles are the main raw materials used in construction technology, there are materials like cement, water taps and ridges, which we have to buy,” he said.
He added: “Our target was to cover all the nine sub-counties and four town councils in the district, but we cannot proceed without funds.”
Mr Ssemutumba said under the project they had mobilised residents, especially needy women to form groups of 15 through which they (participants) received training on how to construct bottle-brick rainwater harvesting tanks.
“The beneficiaries were required to collect plastic waste bottles from the environment and stones which are used in the construction of water tanks and toilets,” he revealed.
Mr Daniel Lubwama, a resident of Galilaya Sub-county, said he was eager to benefit from the project since the area faces water scarcity during the dry season.
“I had already collected empty water bottles and prepared the site where to build the water tank, it is unfortunate that I cannot be helped now,” he said.
Galilaya and Bbaale sub-counties which are under the cattle-corridor are semi-arid areas.
“I am aging and I cannot walk 10 miles to reach the water source. I had hope in that project and its closure is a big blow to me,” Ms Regina Namatovu, a resident of Namalere Village ,Galilaya Sub-county, said
The initiative, residents say had greatly reduced substantial amounts of poorly disposed of plastic bottles and also increased accessibility to safe clean water in some communities.
Ms Sarah Mukyala, a resident of Nnongo Village in Kitimbwa Sub- county, who has a rainwater harvesting tank under the project, said she topped up the Shs100,000 savings from selling water to start a retail shop.
“I also used proceeds from selling water to buy a solar system which I now use to light my house,” Ms Mukyala said.
The district water engineer, Mr Drate Edma, said the technology had helped many institutions access clean safe water and at the same time rid the environment of waste plastic bottles.
