Improving Water Supply Sustainability in Northern (IWAS) - Project Brief The Functionality Challenge

• Unwillingness of users to pay • Weak and unregulated O&M fees HPMAs • O&M funds kept by • Poor access to spare parts treasurer, often misused • Overcharging and • Users often told by vandalism leaders not to pay • Poorly • No security for organised O&M funds Scarcity of Weak Private O&M funds sector Poor Functionality and Sustainability Weak of RWSS Weak Institutional Community and Monitoring subcounty Support institutions • Weak O&M • Poorly monitoring systems constituted WSCs at District and subcounty • Often not formed • Lack of knowledge of policies and most times not trained and guidelines • No instituional oversight at • Poor domestication of National subcounty policies at DLG and LLG

In Uganda, it is difficult Operation and maintenance can take up to three months to maintain rural water practices of the rural water or more before repair. sources that are managed sources remain poor and On average, a water source by local communities. Poor many gravity flow schemes functions well within the first functionality is blamed on the and point water sources are three years, after which it limited capacity of community not fully functional. Post starts breaking down. The water source committees construction monitoring and majority of the current rural (WSCs) and weak institutional technical support gaps exist water sources are over 5 support mechanisms for at the district and sub-county years old and not regularly operation and maintenance at with the district water offices maintained and hence at risk the district level. Lack of spare focusing more on development of regular breakdowns. While parts results in expensive and less on maintenance. big strides have been achieved repairs that water users can’t in the management of urban afford. While there has been A reliable water source should water supply sources, many an increase in the number of provide water for a minimum of which are maintained rural water sources that are of 350 days in a year with less by urban water boards in functional at the time of spot than 14 days of breakdown. liaison with private operators, check, there is still limited Very few water sources are similar progress is yet to be information on the reliability able to meet this standard and registered for the rural water of these water sources. a broken down water source supply sources.

2 IWAS - Project Brief SNV Netherlands Development than focusing on the apparent to be linked to the Umbrella Organisation has been challenges like unwillingness of Water and Sanitation for supporting rural water of water users to own and easy access to genuine and operation and maintenance in manage the water facilities. affordable spare parts. Uganda for the last 10 years. From supporting the formation Based on SNV’s experience, • Address security concerns of of Hand Pump Mechanics to improve functionality operation and maintenance Associations in the five and sustainability of rural funds by promoting the use districts (Arua, Bundibugyo, water sources the following of quasi financial institutions Kasese, Kyenjojo and Lira), measures need to be such as village saving and an initiative that was later undertaken to address loan association schemes at rolled out across the country; structural gaps: the community level. This to designing an innovative will address the wariness mobile based information • There is need to ensure and perceived insecurities system to collect, process and that the rural water by water users about provide real time information systems receive preventive water user committees to stakeholders on water maintenance from qualified mismanaging their point functionality in rural professionals rather than operation and maintenance communities, SNV has actively the current erratic ‘wait till funds and also provide pursued lasting solutions it breaks down’ approach. clear transparency and to address the challenge This can be achieved by accountability mechanisms of functionality. Although building the capacity of for the water user significant improvements have the Hand Pump Mechanics committees. taken place with an increase in Associations to operate the national functionality rate, as private entrepreneurs, • Ensuring strong post- operation and maintenance so that they are more construction support at of rural water sources is professional and business the district, sub-county still a challenge. To improve oriented and can proactively and private sector level to functionality sustainably, operate and maintain operationalise, strengthen there is need to review the rural water sources. The and monitor the operation operation and maintenance Hand Pump Mechanics and maintenance system system holistically rather Associations will also need structures.

“We the district leaders should not wait for SNV in order for us to monitor functionality of water sources. Monitoring is our core function and we should include it in our workplans, “

Hon. Angelo Okello District Vice Chairperson 3 SNV and its vpartners have fairly priced spare parts. The IWAS model scaled up the approach, The project also trained supporting WUGs to provide 91 Hand Pump Mechanics The Improving Water Supply credit to members. The were trained on business Sustainability in Northern goal was to strengthen the management skills. Uganda is a three-year collection and utilisation of project that SNV has been funds for repairs, empower • Support DLGs to oversee implementing since 2015 with WUGs to ensure proper and guide WSCs and funding from the Coordination operation and maintenance HPMAs, as well as provide Office for Development of water facilities and post-construction support. Cooperation of the Austrian promote a culture of saving Mentoring and coaching Embassy in Uganda. and investment among support was provided to 32 WUGs. technical staff at the district The project objective was to and sub-county level, 78 enhance the functionality and • Establishing and training village health teams and to sustainability of rural water water source committees 125 political leaders in the supplies in 600 communities to manage water sources four districts to be able to in the districts of Apac, that have been rehabilitated effectively carry out their Lira, Alebtong and by the district local roles towards improving in Northern Uganda. Since governments or where functionality. the project did not include other organisations are a hardware component, drilling boreholes or • Establishing and building the project focused on the rehabilitating existing water capacity of the SWSSBs following activities: sources. to oversee all the water sources in the sub-county. • Capacity building of 300 • Supporting four existing SWSSBs have been existing and 300 new water handpump mechanic encouraged to employ a source committees in the associations (HPMAs) to technician to solely support selected sub-counties to develop and implement operation and maintenance oversee the operation and business plans in order on a day to day basis. maintenance of their water to improve their capacity sources including repair of to carry out preventative the non-functional water maintenance and repairs. sources. Borrowing from The project has linked three its experiences under Hand Pump Mechanics the Yahura Yehoza (YY) Associations to the sub- (Bolicap), or “save and county water supply and borrow” approach, SNV sanitation boards (SWSSBs) trained water user groups and the water and sanitation (WUGs) on how to mobilise committees for regular resources for operation routine maintenance works, and maintenance of water as well as to the Umbrella sources. Adopted from a of Water and Sanitation for pilot in , easy access to genuine and

4 www.snv.org/country/uganda Project results 130,000 people now Improvement in operation Community members in and maintenance of water Adegayella, take have access sources: Water and sanitation part in the maintenance of committees have been formed their water source to safe in 622 water sources and sensitised on their role in water operation and maintenance. There is improved collection and remitance of O&M fees to sub-county water supply and sanitation boards (SWSSBs), with remittances currently standing at 55%. Preventive maintenance contracts were signed between the HPMAs and 12 sub-counties in Lira, Alebtong and . As a result, 435 water sources underwent preventive maintenance giving 130,000 people sustainable access to clean water.

WSCs were also encouraged to open bank accounts for their operation and management funds. To date, 58 WSCs in Apac have opened accounts with Centenary Bank.

“The business mentoring exercise was timely and an eye opener. We will continue to use the materials and the business plans as a practical marketing and promotional strategy to interest all potential customers to give us business,”

Moses Okello, Chairperson Lira HPMA 5 supply and sanitation and Capacity development of joint plans for Stories of change field activities in each sub- assessment and county. Agweng P7 Water Source Committee mainstreams training The project also supported sanitation and hygiene in their the Ministry of Water and work Environment to roll-out the One of the key deliverables of Agweng P.7 has a pupil the project was to build strong HPMA framework to all the districts in Technical Support enrolment of 2019 pupils. and knowledgeable sub-county The school has a functional extension staff teams that Unit 2. This has helped strengthen the linkages borehole which serves both actively support the WSCs the school population and the to maintain water sources. between HPMAs and water and sanitation committees neighbouring communities. 50 extension staff, made up The water source is one of of community development to ensure the sustainable management of water sources. 50 that are being supported officers, health inspectors by the Improving Water and parish chiefs from Lira, 12 sub-county water boards in Lira, Alebtong and Dokolo supply Sustainability (IWAS) Dokolo and Apac districts, project. The water source had were trained. They learned were also formed and trained to provide management a management committee, how to identify capacity however the committee gaps, mobilise communities oversight to all the rural water sources within the sub-county. was not fully constituted with a focus on rural water and members did not fully understand their roles and responsibilities since they had not been trained. In addition, ”We had a challenge of operation and maintenance the water source was not of water facilities. Because of SNV, we have been able registered with the Sub-county to bridge the gap and there is now improved O&M Water Supply and Sanitation of water sources. As a district, we shall budget and Board (SWSSB) and there recognise active HandPump Mechanics and Water was no clear mechanism Source Committees that have well-maintained water for collecting operation and sources during the coming financial year,” maintenance (O&M) funds. When IWAS project model was Hon. Anthony Ojuka, Vice Chairperson Lira District introduced to the community, the local leaders and school management embraced it. Through the support of SNV in collaboration with Local capacity Builders (LCBs), District and Subcounty leadership, the Water Source Committee (WSC) was revamped, trained and linked to the SWSSB. The training covered broad areas including 6 IWAS - Project Brief roles and responsibilities of WSC in collecting and managing O&M funds, registration and remittance of O&M funds to the SWSSB, preventive maintenance, sanitation and hygiene, among others. During one of the Annual General Meetings (AGM), the school management Committee (SMC) and the parents agreed to a 1,000 UGX levy on each pupil per term towards maintenance of the water source. Part of this money is allocated to the WSC for preventive maintenance based on the budget presented by New Chair transforms collecting the monthly 1,000 the WSC. shillings towards operation and Twon-yao water source maintenance of their water To date, the borehole has a in ogur sub county, lira source. Because of his efforts, functional WSC of 9 members the water users elect him as (i.e. 6 women and 3 men), district. their chairperson. Through registered with the SWSSB the support of Parish WASH and the WSC is remitting Committee Chairperson, “Water is life and we have to 80% O&M funds to SWSSB. the WSCs were trained and treat the source that gives Breakdown of the borehole has oriented on their roles and us that life well,” are Sam reduced as result of preventive responsibilities. maintenance by the Hand Okello’s first words. Sam is the new Chairperson of Pump mechanics (HPM). From To date the WSC is functional Yao –Twon water source. He the 20% that remains after and the committee always was elected during the water remitting 80% to SWSSB, the gives accountability to the users meeting organized by WSC has purchased seven users on their O&M funds. the Parish WASH Coordinator (7) basins which is used In the last four months of Akangi parish. Sam had by pupils at break time to since Sam became the always demonstrated his maintain personal hygiene Chairperson, the water source passion for maintaining the before resuming class. Each has registered with the water source since he had basin is allocated to one class. SWSSB and has never missed been in that community and This strategy has improved remitting 80% O&M to the had experienced first-hand the hygiene around the water board and have successfully effects of having no water for source as the school children raised 50,000 UGX every four months when their water no longer wash their legs at month. the borehole. source broke down. Sam took it upon himself to sensitise his fellow community members about the importance of 7 SNV UGANDA Country Office Plot 36, Luthuli Rise, Bugolobi P.O. Box 8339, , Uganda Tel: +256 (0) 414 563 200 +256 (0) 312 260 058 Email: [email protected] www.snv.org/country/uganda

West Nile region Plot 10A, Bwana Volla Road, Arua Tel: +256 (0) 758 200 781 +256 (0) 476 420 623

Rwenzori region Plot 2/4 Rwenzori Road, P.O. Box 78, Fort Portal Tel: +256 (0) 758 200 778 +256 (0) 392 200 778

South West region Plot 10, Haji Kasaka Road Kiyanja Ruharo- Kamukuzi P.O. Box 1653, Mbarara Tel: + 256 (0) 200 901 225

North East region Plot 3 Kabalega Road, Yodev Plaza, Lira Tel: +256 (0) 758 260 050