In-Depth Analysis of Water Management Challenges in Selected Cities 91
Limited hydrologic information makes planning difficult. It was not possible to get river flow information for all the rivers that are considered as the main water sources in this study. Similarly, there was lack of information on groundwater potential in Mbale. With an estimated tripling of the population from 2002 to 2035, water demand will exceed capacity of existing sources.3 According to the census results of 2002, the total population of Mbale municipality was 70,437. The annual population growth rate was estimated at 4 percent, implying a population that will exceed 210,000 in 2035 or a tripling in a little more than 30 years. Inadequate sanitation threatens groundwater sources. Many pit latrines are dysfunctional and overflow during the wet season, posing health risks. Stormwater drains are connected to the sewer and cause sedimentation and poor functionality of the wastewater stabilization ponds. Fecal waste management is a major problem in peri-urban areas as they lack even pit latrines and septic tanks. Although there are no data on groundwater quality, there are high risks of groundwater pollution due to infiltration from pit latrines. During the recent water scarcity event, people used local stream water as a coping strategy, and there was an outbreak of cholera. The rapid spatial growth of Mbale provides great opportunities to implement IUWM solutions, but the window of opportunity is timelimited. The Mbale case study uses a structured approach to identify boundaries of future urban clusters (see Figure 4.5), identify additional water sources and prioritize their selection, select appropriate treatment technologies for promoting integrated water use, assess and balance water flows and contaminant fluxes within the IUWM strategy, and propose a cost-effective set of solutions. Separate and different solutions are proposed for legacy areas (mainly the existing core area of town) and new development areas. Water security through diverse sources is a key solution. Mbale will have to rely on surface water, groundwater, and recycled water. Appropriate watershed management will be crucial to protect the surface water resources of the Nabijo, Nabiyonga, and Manafwa Rivers. This is a key aspect of the ongoing Uganda National Water Resources and Development project (World Bank, 2012c) and solutions must be implemented at the micro-watershed level. Groundwater will be protected by addressing the sanitation problem through a wide range of measures including public education, sanitation promotion at the household level, decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS), and soil aquifer treatment (SAT) implementation; these are appropriate sanitation tech-