Health Deficiencies from Poor Water Supply and Sanitation

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Health Deficiencies from Poor Water Supply and Sanitation

Astounded by the beauty of the lush soil and the simplicity of all living conditions in Uganda, the environs are eye-popping. Garbage is either strewn about or burned in small piles throughout the villages. Animals- such as goats, cows and zebras wander freely, leaving their droppings as they go. Flies and termites are everywhere; dust coats everything, and there are almost no flush toilets. One would picture this depiction as foul, yet Britain’s World War II Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill is the one who proclaimed Uganda the “Pearl of Africa” during his visit in 1907. He was attracted to the magnificent scenery (landscape), wildlife and friendly natives (culture). To him, the beauty of it all could only be described as a pearl." Imagine, a country so beautiful to be proclaimed as a pearl is one of the poorest nations in the world, with 37.7 percent of the population living on less than $1.25 a day. The country is so poor that even though it rains 40” to 80” inches a year, and rainfall is well distributed across the country, a safe and sustainable water supply is limited, and basic sanitation is scarce. Uganda’s poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene results in tremendous human and economic costs. Chronic diarrheal diseases weaken victims and, coupled with malnutrition, bring on a negative spiral into poverty.

Uganda took a major step towards its stated goal of ensuring sustainable water resources for the future when they built the Gaba III treatment plant in Kampala in 2007. The raw water for treatment at the Gaba site is drawn from Lake Victoria’s Murchison Bay. Lake Victoria is big. Really big! It is Africa's largest lake, but its drainage basin is relatively small. Heavy pollution in this area has taken a significant toll on water quality – a problem further exacerbated by a period of drought, which led to receding levels in the lake, leaving the intakes...