Arua Water Chemistry

There is no human being on earth who doesn't use WATER. If there is any, then that person is definitely dehydrated, alien or already dead. Water is life, it is the basic chemical component of a human body making up about 70 percent. Even the Earth is more water than land, oceans are too big and deep. You can live without food for many days, but not water. So since we all require water as a primary element, we have to protect ourselves by protecting our H2O sources. Even JESUS used water: HE turned it into wine, fished in it, washed the Feet of HIS Disciples, healed blind Bartimaeus, asked for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman at the well and later walked on the sea. Even while on the Cross, JESUS was thirsty but instead of H2O, a soldier gave him vinegar which HE rejected. There is no water in hell, so we must be living in heaven on earth.

Sevo (by Aiko)

In November 2015 during his Presidential Campaigns, (incumbent Head-of-State and re-elected candidate) Yoweri Museveni promised Arua people City status for their town (established in 1914) when the 10th Parliament of Uganda resumes in May after the 18th February 2016 Elections. Rural villages cannot become cities overnight because a city is a large and permanent settlement. Distinguished from a town, a city generally has complex systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, housing and transportation. The dictionary definition of a city is a large, urban and important town especially with a cathedral. However, it must have enough water available for the entire population. In West Nile - the Most Northwestern Country Area of Uganda, Arua is the Biggest Demarcation extending from the South Sudan border to Madi Okollo near Ora River - a River Nile tributary with a small sized city named after Arua Hill in the centre. On top of the hill is the flat trapezoid 1,365 cubic metre National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) water reservoir. Arua water is sourced from River Enyau, also pumped from underground in Dadamu and in future might originate from the Albert Nile near Rhino Camp.

Karuma Falls on the River Nile (KLA City to Arua Highway) near the proposed site for a new City in East Africa

There are several River Nile tributaries that provide Arua water including Enyau (with its source in Vurra), Inve (or Enve), Oluffe as you enter Maracha and Ayi plus minor rivers. Underground rock fountains also provide water. There are plans to supply Arua water from the River Nile in Rhino Camp (East) and Giligili (West). Maracha, immediately north of Arua District pumps piped tap water from rocks. In Bundibugyo (Western Uganda), a River Semuliki Catchment Area, there are Water User Groups (WUGs) with relevant laws and regulations that help manage water resources like public taps, rivers and valley dams. They regulate defecation, rubbish disposal, washing of bikes, etc in water sources. Likewise in Arua, community members pay a couple thousand UgX per month to maintain the boreholes in their vicinity.

According to Arua District Water Officer Stephen Obitre, water sources contaminated by faecal matter must be closed to prevent diseases. Water sources need to be 30 metres away from settlements. Samples from water sources are tested for quality every three months because of low funds. However priority is always given to places with complaints and rampant diseases. Water is terribly contaminated even if it tastes sweet. Worm eggs in Arua water samples are unbelievably too many. Stephen suggests that urban poor should manage public taps collectively. Environmental Health Officers can be approached in the remotest villages for queries. NGOs also take samples from water points, for instance Worldvision in Offaka.  Some boreholes have worked for over 40 years. When people need new boreholes or wells in their locality, they can pick water interest forms from government subcounty offices and indicate how many people will use the water plus what kind of water source they want. Results are within less than two years. In Rakai (Southern Uganda next to Tanzania), boreholes are no longer drilled. Surface water is treated and used instead.  In 2010, Arua Municipal Council banned the consumption of borehole water because it was heavily contaminated with human waste. Many boreholes and water wells are constructed near toilets or latrines leading to Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery and Diarrhea. Portable water used at home ought to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) standards and be odourless, colourless, micro-organism free, solid waste free and chemical free. West Nile is near DR Congo which is blessed with so many minerals. That means the mineral belt extends to Arua and metal elements dissolve in underground water causing chemical reactions. Behaviours change slowly and open air defecation in bushes plus forests always follows people home through houseflies and runoff rain water. Therefore it must be discouraged for example in Vurra where vigilant youth arrest and fine people found defecating in the open. Latrine holes must be covered unless they are the VIP (Ventilated Improved Pit) type. Some people fix their whole hand inside the pot of drinking water instead of only a cup or container.

Engineer Roy Tiyo revealed that the two Tanks set up in Gili Gili will supply Arua City with abundant Water. Boreholes are not dug in every Village in every Subcounty every Year simply because of lack of Funds. A Subcounty might have 8, 9, 10 Parishes yet you can give Water for one of five Villages in a Parish. Water Tests are carried out at the National Water Lab near Enyau. Those that cannot be done in Arua are referred to Kampala. People complain that Borehole Maintenance is difficult but during one Community Meeting, Roy asked, "If I give you a Coat or Suit because your Clothes are torn and it gets dirty, do you want me to always go and wash it for you?" Some Mzee answered No, the Job of washing is his. "If we give People Water, they have Money for drinking Alcohol, Money for smoking but Water Money - only 1,000 UgX a Month is missing, then you cannot blame someone else. When you collect Money and it is not enough, it becomes easy for us because we see that these People are trying, let's go and rescue them! However without any Collections, all some want is to report: Water is spoilt, Water is spoilt!"

NWSC Arua Branch Area Engineer Lambert Tabu advises people to use water pumped from Arua Water Supply through their taps. When piped water stops, you have to look for alternatives if you do not have a tank nor enough storage containers. NWSC Arua Area supplies water to over 5,638 customer accounts which represents about 80 percent of the target population. The service area includes the Municipality divisions of Arua Hill and River Oli. It stretches to Oluko and Onzivu parishes in the east, Pajulu in the west, Ombachi and Onduparaka in the north plus Muni in the south. Water has also been extended to the small town centres of Giligili, Ewuata and Kuluva. Since Arua is a Business and Refugee Hub strategically located between Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and the East African Community, developments like schools, hotels, offices, health centres and apartments need services from NWSC. The World Bank Water and Sanitation Project aimed at upgrading the Water Supply System and installation of sanitation facilities will create opportunities of realising more customers connected to the NWSC services.

Gloria Kisa, the director of MACCO (Mayang Anti-Corruption Coalition) says that her organisation monitors water usage by assessing whether girls (or even boys) dance recklessly while pumping water at the borehole. Civilians must maintain the services government gave us. Money is usually collected at water sources, so MACCO asks for accountability. They also ensure that spoilt water sources are repaired by the technical people involved. One of their main focus areas is Arua Hill Division.

Irrigation on East African agricultural centres like Abi Farm on Rhino Camp Road as you head to Terego County is another use of off-season water in Arua. Edison, a Government Official ingeniously uses drip irrigation to water his young trees. Besides a watering can and pipes, he also ties water-filled mineral water bottles (with tiny cracks) to sticks fixed next to the growing trees and they constantly keep dripping water.

Some people move a distance from their homes to get drinkable water which they use for cooking, either from a borehole or public water tap because the surface well water, rivers or springs near their homes are reserved for washing clothes, bathing and making bricks. Rainwater is abundant and unless people maximise it through domestic collection, it just sips underground. Normally, iron sheet roofs help in the collection and adding a gutter directs the flow to a specific trapping point. People with grass thatched houses may find this difficult. Tiles and asbestos sheets can also help but they have their own impurity run-off issues. Spring rain in Arua starts around March and reduces in June (Summer) but September brings the colours of Fall while October rains also fall without apology. December considered a dry Winter is usually rainless. The BBC Website posts a 7 Day Weather Forecast for Arua everyday. Emmanuel, a Doctor is thankful that rainwater reduces the water bill paid to NWSC during the rainy periods in a Davis & Shirtliff type of way.

Rusted borehole interiors add metal particles in water which cause skin irritations when used for bathing. The body also itches when you drink the water plus iron smells in your respiratory and digestive systems. You might scratch yourself until you see the white matter in your skin creating patches. A Student Teacher from Arua confessed that because of using borehole water, she even itches in her Most Intimate Parts and cannot avoid scratching. Too much chlorine or other elements in water may cause itchy reactions, red skin or hives (itchy bumps) by clogging skin pores. Ultraviolet (UV) treatment is one of the safest ways to disinfect water, the rays are a natural component of sunlight. Groundwater care is necessary for long term water purity which benefits everyone. Filtration technologies like a PUR packet or WaterGuard also purify water. Disinfectant powders clean dirty water. P&G Water Purification Technology is a simple way to clean water. It eliminates disease-causing microorganisms, dirt, pollutants and 99 percent of common waterborne bacteria (Cholera, Hepatitis A and Diarrhea - dreaded diseases in Arua). Bottled mineral water like Sunshine (from Adriko's), Malaika, Mandela Water plus others from outside Arua like Rwenzori also offer relief from thirst. Unfortunately, some people bravely drink unboiled water from a direct tap or rainwater tank without worrying about illness. People are always advised to wash their hands with soap after visiting the latrine or toilet.

Abundant Arua mangoes

Having lived full time in Arua since December 2013, I contracted Typhoid twice in 12 months. The first time was before the World Cup in Brazil (June 2014) and then June 2015 (when I vomited at midnight after my first drug doze for acute Typhoid + Malaria). The doctor told me I looked strong on the surface but in my (reddish black) blood, I was "two days away from running mad". It was amazingly not easy to point out why the disease attacked me only during summertime but I blamed the water I was using to wash mangoes. So many mangoes ripen annually from around May onwards that some just go to waste. Maybe I need to wash them with boiled water because untreated water can be very dangerous.