Groundwater resources management in urban areas of Uganda: experiences and challenges

Groundwater development for urban water supply has been ongoing since early 1990. In some urban areas however, groundwater is heavily abstracted resulting in lowering of groundwater levels and sometimes competitive pumping between water sources. The lack of sewerage systems in urban areas has also lead to construction of onsite sanitation systems in form of septic tanks and pit latrines, which have caused contamination of groundwater resources in many areas. Protection of groundwater in terms of quality and quantity is therefore needed to control overexploitation and pollution of groundwater. This requires undertaking studies to resolve key practical groundwater management questions in order to guide optimum groundwater development and determination of groundwater protections zones around boreholes in fractured rocks. Furthermore, an institutional framework for groundwater resources management combined with an adequate awareness raising programme on water resources management are required to enable the water users actively participate in groundwater management and protection.