BUGWERI DISTRICT: According to the survey on household mapping on food, nutrition and wash practices that was conducted by Wilmat Development Foundation with support from the Movement for Community Led Development Uganda Chapter through the Right2Grow consortium in Bugweri district in Eastern Uganda, it indicated that the common sources of water in the district are boreholes, rain water and swamps with a few people having piped water.
A total of 98% obtain their water from the boreholes whereas 24.5% get their water from rain and a few others obtain the water from swamps and piped water systems. Water being the most important source of life on earth, we need it to fulfill a lot of activities in our lives. For example it is used for drinking, washing clothes, cooking food and also for building.
Furthermore, it was also discovered that the water sources are not communally owned and accessed by everyone so the locals walk very long distances to and from to access water. The majority obtain water from more than 100meters from the households and others have to walk between 100-150 meters. 96% of the sources are communally owned and 3% are owned and controlled by individuals which makes it easier for everyone to access. Without water, no one can exist even for a day. There are few percentages of clean water that are available and in that way, we should not waste clean water but rather save it for future use.
According to Matte, Some of the ways in which the people of Ibulanku sub-county stores their water safely include the use of jerry cans, basins and water tanks. This will help them have access to water in case of scarcity and in the dry season that stored water could be used to water the crops.
Majority of the households in Bugweri district do not boil drinking water and most of the drinking water is obtained from boreholes which is not safe because there are high chances of them falling sick as a result of taking unboiled water. In conclusion, the locals of Bugweri district should boil drinking water because this kills the germs in the water and it is a safe way of reducing their chances of getting sick.
