Residents of Mbale Municipality have been forced to trek long distances coupled with spending many hours at wells and boreholes as water shortage hits the town.
The Mbale area water and sewerage cooperation spokesperson, Ms. Doreen Kapsulele attributed scarcity of water in the town to recent rains that washed away the main water transmission line along Manafwa River on Tororo road.
Kapsulele also noted that more two lines in Nabisolo cell and Nabuyonga cell in Northern division in Mbale municipality were also washed away by floods after two heavy down pour that pounded the district.
“The recent heavy down pour produced too much water that caused a storm and washed away our main pipe lines hence causing water scarcity. We have for the last four days not got water and they are surviving on wells and boreholes at the mosques,” She said.
“The whole of Mbale municipality is affected and we regret. Our team of engineers are on the ground working hard to see that our customers get water in the next two days,” Kapsulele said.
Juliet Nafuna, a resident of Maluku in industrial division Mbale municipality, said that spending hours at the water points has affected her other programmes, adding that she is forced to report at the place of work late as she spends a lot of time in line waiting for a chance to fetch water.
A 20-liter Jerrycan of water now is being sold at Shs500 to 1000, which she said is not affordable to many more so those with bigger families, adding that some of the families are surviving by harvesting rain water.
John Wamono a resident of central cell has expressed fear as rains continue to pound the region, families are most likely to face water-related diseases like cholera among others.
“Institutions and offices with water bone toilets are facing it rough as they cannot access water to clean their toilets. The toilets are too smelly and flies are all over the places because of unbearable smell,” Wamono said.