Dokolo has 905 domestic water points, but some produce salty water, making it unfit for consumption. In sub-counties like Kwera and Kangai, most water points are either submerged by lake water or broken down.
A total of 126 out of the 484 villages in Dokolo District lack access to clean water sources, despite the district being surrounded by Lake Kwania. The presence of the lake has proven to be more of a challenge than a benefit, as many domestic water points in the area are either saline or non-functional.
Dokolo has 905 domestic water points, but some produce salty water, making it unfit for consumption. In sub-counties like Kwera and Kangai, most water points are either submerged by lake water or broken down. As a result, residents are resorting to unsafe sources such as shallow wells, unprotected water points, and local hand-dug wells, increasing their risk of contracting waterborne diseases.
The district reports that 227 water points have been non-functional for over five years and are now considered abandoned. James Otoo Apili, the district chairperson, explained that many of the boreholes in Dokolo yield salty water that is unsuitable for drinking, while others are damaged beyond repair.
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He added that the district lacks the capacity to drill production wells, which would be a more reliable alternative to conventional boreholes.
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In the last financial year, the district’s water department received 569,234,814 shillings. The funds were spent on designing and constructing a piped water system in Awelo Sub-county, constructing two flush toilets at Bata daily market, and rehabilitating 70 boreholes, particularly in primary schools.
However, Peter Adim Awany, the LC3 chairperson of Kwera Sub-county, argued that these interventions are insufficient. He urged the government to consider constructing production wells to provide a lasting solution to the water crisis.
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While officiating at a community baraza in Dokolo last week, the Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Justine Kasule Lumumba, pledged to write to the Ministries of Finance and Water to seek special grants for affected districts like Dokolo.
