Overview

The Rural water supply sub-sector is defined to include all those areas under the jurisdiction of districts (LC 5) and rural growth centres (LC1) and excluding those urban areas governed by LC 2 to LC 5 structures (i.e. town boards, town councils, municipalities and the city of Kampala). In practice Homestead hand washing facility this means that rural water supply covers those communities that have a population of 5000 or less. The sub-sector considers two divisions of communities, villages with populations up to 1,500 and Rural Growth Centres (RGCs) with populations between 1,500 and 5,000.

RGCs are typically served via mechanised water supply systems that may include pumped supply from one or more sources, treatment, storage and limited distribution. Management of the RGC system is through private operators or community formed associations accountable to the District or Sub-county Governments. Water supply in villages with populations below 1500 is typically via point sources, which consist of deep boreholes and shallow wells fitted with hand-pumps, protected springs, and gravity flow schemes with public taps, and rainwater harvesting tanks. The systems are community managed with support from the respective Local Governments.

Mission for the Sub-Sector

The mission statement for the sub-sector is: "provision and maintenance of adequate supply of water for human consumption and domestic chores and also promotion of sanitation and hygiene education in rural communities. This improves health and the general quality of life for the Ugandan population and will consequently contribute to up-lifting the household standards of living"

Sub-Sector Objectives

The overall water services objectives in line with the PEAP are defined as: "To achieve sustainable provision of safe water within easy reach and hygienic sanitation facilities based on management responsibility and ownership by the users, to 77% of the population in rural areas with an 80-90% effective use and functionality of facilities"