An Investigation into the Impacts and Challenges of Implementing Self Supply in Eastern Uganda

This research aimed to evaluate the SSPP interventions in Eastern Uganda, with a focus on UMURDA’s activities. This involved water quality sampling, water user interviews, and observations and discussions.

UMURDA focussed on community sources, upgrading 12 sources from open shallow wells/excavated ponds to the level of protected springs. Average total costs were Ush 1m, of which the community met around 50%. Government financed ‘conventionally improved’ spring protection costs a total of Ush 2m, of which only 2.5% is met by the community.

Water quality results from 161 samples indicated faecal contamination (TTC) was reduced on average between 10-20 times following ‘upgrading’, and turbidity was on average more than halved. However, strong intra-source variability was experienced between samples, and through time. Benefits perceived by the water users following the upgrades were dominantly related to the improved ease and safety of collecting water from the source, reductions of guinea worms and health problems through cleaner water, and reductions of distances travelled by multiple source users to a drinking water source.

Benefits could have been extended through increased hygiene and sanitation promotion and customisation of the upgrade design for food production and income generating activities. Interventions supporting self supply initiatives should be carefully selected and undertaken to avoid stifling the self help process. The Government, NGOs and private sector could play a key role in creating an enabling environment for self supply in Uganda.