In-Depth Analysis of Water Management Challenges in Selected Cities 97
Arua, Uganda: Can Decentralized Solutions Postpone a Very Large Infrastructure Project? Table 4.3 Key Characteristics and Location of Arua, Uganda Population (2011)
59,400
Estimated daytime population (2011)
80,000
Projected annual population growth
3.4%
Economic activity
Farming, small-scale industry
Water consumption per person served (2011)
50 liters per capita per day
Utility water coverage
50%
Source: Eckart et al., 2012b.
Unauthorized abstraction and pollution of water from the Enyua River by an increasing number of settlements upstream is a major threat to the sustainability of Arua’s water supply. There are little data on these activities and information is anecdotal. According to information from local area NWSC staff, there are several settlements upstream of Arua town and many of these are located within 10 to 30 meters of the river bank. The majority of the settlements engage in subsistence farming of both food crops and animals, and large areas have been cleared of vegetation. Water is diverted by digging small open channels. In addition, there are small-scale industries (brick and tile production), which also divert water and generate sediment returns. As a result of this activity, as well as the construction of roads crossing the river, there has been extensive erosion with large sediment flows. NWSC reports that the diversion rate of water upstream of the city water works intake during the dry season can be as much as 70 percent of river discharge. While there is a new regulation according to which no activity is allowed within 30 meters of river banks (NWSC, 2012), and while NWSC has attempted to restrict upstream water uses, it has been difficult to enforce. The authorities have recognized a need for a more participatory approach to watershed protection that includes diverse sources of water for the city to ensure water security and that considers the entire watershed in urban water planning. The existing system is overextended in three ways: the water treatment plant is strained by the turbidity of the river; power supply is irregular, resulting in high costs and intermittent supply; and the network