Ugandan Member of Parliament, Hon. Eng. Julius Nakiyi, has called on the Ministry of Water and Environment to undertake a nationwide technical review and upgrade of old gravity flow water schemes. This move aims to ensure they can meet the growing water demands of Uganda's expanding population. Nakiyi made the call during a plenary session in Parliament, utilizing his professional background as a civil engineer to explain the technical challenges affecting water supply systems.
According to Nakiyi, the design of a water supply system must consider two critical factors: population and per capita water consumption. These factors determine the volume of water required and influence the design of key infrastructure such as storage tanks, pipes, and distribution networks. He warned that some gravity flow schemes across the country were designed over two decades ago when the populations they served were significantly smaller.
Nakiyi cited Sironko District as an example, noting that the water system was designed in the 1990s for a population of around 150,000. However, the population has since grown to over 300,000, creating a substantial gap between the system's original design capacity and current demand. He argued that the increase in population has rendered the current volume of water unsustainable.
The MP urged the Ministry of Water and Environment to deploy civil engineers to assess gravity flow schemes designed and constructed over 20 years ago. This assessment would help establish which systems have exceeded their intended useful life and require rehabilitation or complete upgrading. Nakiyi noted that the useful life of a gravity flow scheme, according to ministry guidelines, is 20 years.
Nakiyi linked the age of the infrastructure to the increasing maintenance challenges faced by communities and local leaders responsible for supporting the operation of the schemes. He said MPs frequently confront complaints about broken pipes and other failures in ageing water systems, resulting in recurring maintenance costs.
Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Marksons Oboth, praised Nakiyi's contribution, describing it as helpful and noting that the MP effectively applied his technical expertise to the debate. Oboth also made a light-hearted reference to Nakiyi's professional background, praising the voters of Budadiri East for electing him.
Nakiyi's intervention emphasizes the need for long-term planning and technical assessment of Uganda's rural water infrastructure, particularly gravity flow schemes that have been in operation for several decades. His proposal calls for the ministry to combine rehabilitation of ageing systems with forward-looking designs that factor in population growth, water consumption, and the expected lifespan of infrastructure.
Key points
- The Ministry of Water and Environment is urged to deploy civil engineers to assess gravity flow schemes designed over 20 years ago.
- The overhaul aims to ensure that water systems can meet the growing demands of Uganda's expanding population.
- Nakiyi's proposal emphasizes long-term planning and technical assessment of Uganda's rural water infrastructure.
