Adjumani district is set to benefit from a significant water infrastructure investment by the World Bank.
The Bank, through the Ministry of Water and Environment, has allocated shs11 billion to fund the construction of a piped water system.
The project is expected to relieve residents of Ukusijoni and Arinyapi sub-counties, who have long struggled with access to clean and safe drinking water.
Residents, who have been enduring long treks to fetch water from distant boreholes, have welcomed the project with joy.
Evaline Masudio Ebevu, a resident of Arinyapi, expressed gratitude, noting that access to clean water has been a persistent challenge.
“We are grateful to the World Bank and the Ministry of Water and Environment. Our suffering will now come to an end. We have been walking long distances to fetch clean water, and sometimes we resort to using water from the River Tete, which is unsafe,” Masudio said.
Another resident Patricia Eimani shared a similar sentiment, explaining that she has been walking three kilometers daily in search of clean water.
“This project will surely relieve us from the long journeys. It has even caused conflicts in my household. We needed this water project yesterday.”
The contract for the project has been awarded to Ambitious Construction Company Limited, with engineer Buavesh Pindoria pledging to complete the work within the stipulated ten months.
Buavesh assured the community of high-quality work and continuous engagement with local leaders to ensure smooth implementation.
“Our team will work closely with local leaders and the community to ensure timely and efficient completion,” he said.
Engineer Stanley Watenga, the principal engineer at the Ministry of Water and Environment, emphasized that the government is transitioning from borehole drilling to motorized piped water systems to improve accessibility to clean water.
“At a national level, only 70% of communities can access safe drinking water. We recognize that Ukusijoni and Arinyapi are part of the 30% still struggling, and this project aims to change that,” he said.
Watenga also highlighted that while the primary goal of the project is to provide domestic water supply, it could also support small-scale irrigation and backyard gardening to help communities adapt to climate change.
The Local Council 3 Chairperson of Arinyapi sub-county, Dominic Seseko, vowed to safeguard the project from vandalism, recalling the community’s long struggle with water scarcity since 1986.
“Contractor Ambitious, we are watching you closely. Cooperate with our local leaders and the community. You will be protected, but we also expect transparency and accountability in this project,” Seseko warned.
Wambi Richard, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Adjumani, noted that Arinyapi is among the most water-stressed areas in the district.
He affirmed that the project would bring a lasting solution to the water crisis by ensuring connections to households, government institutions, markets, and trading centers.
Project breakdown
According to the project design, Ukusijoni will see the construction of a water office block, a borehole pump house, a guard and pump attendant house, and a 131m³ steel reservoir mounted on a 10-meter-high steel tower.
In Arinyapi, the project includes a similar water office block, borehole pump house, guard and pump attendant house, and a 131m³ steel reservoir.
Additionally, a 315m³/day water treatment plant will be constructed, featuring an aerator, sedimentation tank, rapid gravity filters, a treated water tank, a pump house, a chemical house, an attendant house, and associated infrastructure.
With this investment, the residents of Ukusijoni and Arinyapi can finally look forward to a future with improved access to clean and safe water, transforming their lives and boosting overall community well-being.