By Abubaker Mayemba.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently organized a meeting in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, Kyegegwa district, for stakeholders to discuss sustainable operation and maintenance of water systems.

Present at the meeting included partners on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) from the local government, Ministry of Water and Environment, Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), UNHCR, civil society, as well as refugee and host-community leaders.

With funding from the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO) and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), IOM is finalizing the construction of a water system to serve more than 28,000 people in Kyaka II. The new water system is expected to help reduce the risk of WASH-related diseases.

Partners are now looking to adapt local actions and capacities to ensure long-term, resilient and cost-efficient approaches of managing water systems in a humanitarian setting.

Until now, water points in Kyaka have been thinly managed through community-based Water User Committees (WUCs), with each household paying UGX 1,000 a month. The money is used for repairs on the water points.

The most vulnerable and new arrivals are exempted from the payments. But the upsurge in new arrivals has affected the contributions, thus compromising the do-no-harm principle.  

In early May, IOM and Oxfam, in coordination with OPM and the Kyegegwa District Local Government, conducted a one-week study on willingness and ability of refugees to contribute towards operation and maintenance of piped water systems in Kyaka.  

Hence last month’s two-day meeting was held to disseminate the study findings, and discuss an appropriate water management structure.

Overall, it was agreed that systems should be managed by scheme operators under the supervision of Mid-Western Umbrella of Water and Sanitation (mwUws). The Water Ministry, through mwUwS, will provide oversight technical support/monitoring, including formation of a Water Supply & Sewerage Board (WSSB) which supervises the Scheme Operator (SO), who monitors plumbers and water kiosk attendants.

Engineer Francis Okello, from Engineers without Borders (EWB-USA), said there was need for water management to transition from humanitarian agencies because communities – led by water boards (WSSBs) – would be more effective in managing them.

“The services will be reliable because water users will pay the money through the WSSB which will then pass the money to mwUws. The water umbrella will then re-invest the money in the water system,” said Okello.

Robert Baryamwesiga, the Kyaka II Refugee Settlement commandant, urged refugee leaders to sensitize their communities on the value of maintaining water systems. He explained that with the current humanitarian needs, donors were shifting their focus to high-priority emergencies.

“They (donors) have constructed for us water systems and are requesting that we take good care of them after they are gone. It is not their job to maintain these water systems but it’s our work as water users to ensure that the systems continue running,” Baryamwesiga said.

However, he called for a smooth transition, and cautioned that water boards should not handle every water resource in the settlement. He asked WASH partners in Kyaka II to continue coordinating with OPM.

The workshop resolved that comprehensive mobilization and community sensitization be undertaken in all zones of Kyaka II with the entire refugee leadership and water user committees for selection of water board members. Each WSSB will consist of 11 members, three of them selected by mwUws and Water Ministry.

IOM WASH project manager Getachew Mekuria revealed that water would start flowing soon and noted that there was need for water users to effectively manage it.

Bashir Onjima, an IOM project assistant in Kyaka II, said the water system under construction, which currently has 35 tap stands, will be extended to serve the villages of Kakoni A, Kakoni B and Byabakora. Installation of pumps and a standby generator is ongoing.