Water crisis hits Mbale municipality

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The most affected by the water crisis include schools, hospitals, police, prisons, Restaurants, guest houses and public toilets among others.

Several people were seen queuing up to fetch from various pints outside Mbale town while others drive to Tororo, Butaleja, Kapchorwa and Bukedea districts.

Emmanuel Bruno Musìmenta, the Senior Engineer National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Mbale area, says they are only pumping 185,000 of the required 250,000 cubic liters of water each day.

NWSC has two treatment plants which draw water from Nabijjo, Manafwa and Nabuyonga rivers.

According to Musimenta Nabijjo and Nabuyonga rivers have dried, while the water level in Manafwa River has dropped considerably.

Mbale water station serves Mbale Municipality, Nakaloke town council and parts of Sironko, Manafwa, Bukedea, Pallisa and Butaleja Districts with atleast 140,000 clients.

Some of the water consumers only get water between 5:00 am and 9:00 am.

However, water consumers in some areas haven't had water supply for over a week.

Salim Muwabe Kivejinja, the Principal Adminstrator Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, says the water crisis is a serious problem for the hospital.

According Muwabe, they spend up to 200,000 each day to fuel the Fire brigade truck to deliver water to the hospital. He says although the fire brigade supplies water to the hospital twice daily, it isn't enough to meet their demands.