Water Safety Plan Policy Provisions and Status of Implementation in Uganda

Idrakua Lillian AmegovuAssistant Commissioner

Ministry of Water & Environment, Uganda

Introduction

Provisions in Policy and Legal framework in support of WSPs

Ugandan Drinking Water Standards and Strategies

Status of Implementation of WSPs in Uganda

Challenges

Key Success factors for scaling up

Conclusion

Presentation Outline

The existing policy and legal framework in Uganda with relevance to water were developed between 1994 – 2000 after the UN conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 where Agenda 21 on freshwater resources was developed

The WSP concept started receiving serious international attention after its inclusion in the 4th ed of the WHO guidelines on drinking water quality in 2004

The existing policy and legal frameworks do not make explicit mention of WSPs. There are provisions however, in these policies and laws that provide enabling environment for:

provision of safe drinking watercatchment protectionDefinition of roles for key stakeholders

Introduction

The 1995 Constitution of Uganda acknowledges access to 'clean and safe water’ as a basic human right and that ‘The State shall take all practical measures to promote a good water management system at all levels’

The Water Policy, 1999 provides for setting of national drinking water quality standards as a one of the key functions of water resources management

The Water Statute 1995 now The Water Act 2000 provides for

•establishment of a protected zone (may erect and maintain fences)on land adjacent to any water, borehole, treatment or other works forming part of a water supply or from which a water supply is drawn

•The Director may exercise any functions assigned by the Minister including power to supervise or inspect. (Regulation unit under DWD)

Provisions for WSP in Policy & Legal Framework

•DWD on behalf of the minister enters into Performance contracts with water suppliers.

The National Water & Sewerage Corporation Statute, 1995 one of the objectives is to provide water supply services for domestic, etc and to do anything connected or incidental to the above. The Local Government Act, 1997Assigns responsibility of provision of water services and maintenance of facilities to local governments and urban centres but recognises the need for central government agencies to provide support and guidance

Environment Act (2000) provides for•gazetting of protection zones along river banks and lake shores (source of water supplies)•issuance of pollution licences for pollution control into the environment•establishment of environmental standards including water quality standards

Provisions for WSP in Policy & Legal Framework

In 2008, Uganda reviewed her drinking water quality standards and provisions were made for WSPs in 3 standards:

US 201 Drinking (potable) water US 43 Packaged natural mineral watersUS 42 Packaged water other than natural mineral waters

The 3 standards require operators to develop, operate and maintain a Water Safety Plan taking into consideration the potential risks to the safety of the water from source to consumer

observance of the provisions for WSPs shall be subject to periodic checks in accordance with national requirements (Audited by UNBS)

Provisional certificates given and companies expected to put in place WSPs within 6 months

Ugandan Standards and Strategies

UNBS has organised 2 training workshops so far for drinking water bottling companies and trained 20 participants.

Trainings were facilitated jointly with department of Water Quality Management

3 companies out of the 20 trained have developed necessary documentation

The other 17 companies are implementing ISO 22,000 based on HACCP principles

Ugandan Standards and Strategies

National Water Quality Management strategy (2006)

•recommends establishment of WSPs at all water facilities in urban centres and based on technology in rural

•recommends 50 – 100m radius as protection zone for facilities, reservoirs and specifically 100m for surface water intakes

Operation and Maintenance strategy. Functions of the Caretaker include aspects of a WSP

The challenge with implementing strategies is that they are not legally binding

Ugandan Standards and Strategies

Status of WSP Implementation in UgandaNational Water & Sewerage Corporation has established WSPs for the 23 Large towns under their jurisdiction with varying levels of complexity. Population served by NWSC towns is 2.9 million people out of approximately to 32 million

Out of 137 urban centres with piped water supplies, 114 small towns do not have WSPs

Rural population (27m) served mainly by point water sources: GFS, boreholes, protected springs and shallow wells with no WSPs

Ministry of Water & Environment (Policy Maker & Regulator) has a demonstration WSP at 1 small water supply as a way of supporting PWO in implementing WSPs

Status of WSP Implementation in UgandaChallenges at Kyenjojo Water Supply Demonstration WSP

•inadequate capacity of the private water operators

•inadequate documentation of the system (designs and

equipment)

•Lack of record keeping

•finding skilled team members was a problem

•team members taking on additional roles on voluntary basis

was an issue

•maintaining a constant composition of trained team

members and

•identifying willing external stakeholders and engaging them.

Multiple stakeholders with different roles to play along the water supply chain. Most challenging loop is the management of the water catchment (source of raw water)

Discussions on WSPs limit ‘the water catchment’ to the source of the raw water

Challenges

Consumer

Distribution

Catchment

TreatmentPiped Water Supply System

NWSC Water AuthoritiesLocal governments

HealthDWDUNBS

Water Resources sub- sector EnvironmentAgricultureLocal governmentsNGOs

Responsibility

Challenges

Land tenure system and land use practices are a threat to catchment protection

Inadequate capacity among Regulators (Regulation unit, UNBS and DWRM) and water suppliers ( Private Water Operators for WSPs implementation except NWSC)

Overlaps in roles: standard setting

Weak compliance and enforcement of regulations

Lack of priority for water quality issues visa viz production

Challenges

Awareness raising/Sensitisation of stakeholders at all levels to : introduce the WSP concept and its benefitschange attitudes solicit supportbring relevant stakeholders on board

Include WSP in Performance contracts as an immediate measure to enforce implementation

Streamline institutional roles in order to enforce implementation of WSPs and carry out audits

Capacity development

Key success factors for scaling up

Development of resource materials (IEC materials including visual aid) for operators as reference materials at country level

Provision of technical support

Documentation of benefits to encourage willingness to try out the new concept and influence policy changes

To create impact for WSPs, other small towns and small water supplies in the rural areas have to be brought on board now

Key success factors for scaling up

Conclusion

Currently the WSP concept is missing in the main water laws in Uganda: Water Policy & Water Act

WSPs however, have been incorporated in the Ugandan standards for potable water and bottled water. The standards and guidelines however are regulatory instruments that implement the Policy and Act.

WSPs however, can be implemented within existing policies and regulations which have provisions for catchment protection , establishment of systems to ensure safety of drinking water and defined institutional roles