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Community based management of surface water sources in rural south western Uganda : a study of Mbarara and Kiruhuru districts

Tumwine, Christopher
Master thesis
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URI
http://hdl.handle.net/11250/135117
Date
2009
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  • Master's theses in Development Management [90]
Abstract
Introduction

When managed appropriately, water is a precious natural resource, vital for life, development

and the environment. Community based management (CBM) is the style of management the

Ugandan Ministry of Water and Environment recommends for most water facilities

constructed in rural areas. Although community based management of water facilities is

recommended, it is largely for government constructed facilities and many people in the two

districts of Kiruhura and Mbarara communally use privately constructed surface water

sources. The objectives of this study therefore were to establish; What rules and practices are

important in managing government constructed surface water sources in the districts of

Mbarara and Kiruhura?; What rules and practices are important in managing communal

privately constructed surface water sources in the districts of Mbarara and Kiruhura?; How do

rules and practices that are important in managing government constructed sources compare

with those that are important in managing privately constructed sources?; What challenges are

faced by communities in the districts of Mbarara and Kiruhura in managing surface water

sources?

Methods

In order to achieve the above objectives un-structured interviews with 50 overseers of surface

water sources, in-depth interviews with 2 district water officers, and 2 focus group discussions

with surface water source users were conducted to gather data.

Results

With government constructed surface water sources, the practices included holding meetings

to discuss the use of water sources, monitoring the use of the sources, establishment of water

user committees to monitor the use of water sources. The study established that rules which

guide water users could be divided into: daily maintenance rules/dos and don’ts (washing of

clothes around the source should be done at a considerable distance from the source, sending

very young children to collect water is not allowed, washing vehicles in or very near the

sources is not allowed, animals are not allowed to drink directly from the source, bathing and

playing in the water source is not allowed, drawing water for sale is not allowed, permission

must be sought before drawing water for livestock, stepping into the water is not allowed),

periodical maintenance rules and rules relating to land use patterns around the water sources.

The practices associated with managing privately constructed surface water sources included

to a limited extent holding meetings to discuss the use of water sources, establishment of

water user committees to monitor the use of water sources and to a large extent informal

monitoring of the use of water sources. The study established that rules which guide water

users could also be divided into: daily maintenance rules/dos and don’ts (washing of clothes

around the source should be done at a considerable distance from the source, sending very

young children to collect water is not allowed, washing vehicles in or very near the sources is

not allowed, animals are not allowed to drink directly from the source, bathing and playing in

the water source is not allowed, drawing water for sale is not allowed, permission must be

sought before drawing water for livestock, stepping into the water is not allowed), periodical

maintenance rules and rules relating to land use patterns around the water sources.

A comparison of the two types of surface water sources showed that government constructed

water sources generally are subjected to more misuse than privately constructed but

communally used water sources. With privately constructed sources, the possibility of

iii

banning certain water users from accessing water sources remains very real and partly

explains the better water use practices that they enjoyed over the government constructed

sources.

Challenges faced by communities in managing surface water sources included drying up of

the sources, difficulty of rallying water users to participate in maintaining sources,

dysfunctional water pumping technologies. Other challenges emanated from conflicting land

uses, the levels of water quality, and use of water sources stealthily at night.

Conclusion

Currently, an effective institutional framework governing the use of surface water sources in

Mbarara and Kiruhura does not exist. This is mainly because there is a gap between the rules

and the practices on the ground. Despite this, the potential for the development of effective

institutions to govern the use of surface water sources exists. The rules and the potential to

generate more “current” rules to respond to changing situations exist and now what needs to

be changed are the daily practices in order for these to match with the existing rules.
Description
Masteroppgave i development management- Universitetet i Agder 2009
Publisher
Universitetet i Agder, University of Agder

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