Every week when sewage pours onto the streets of Gulu town, it’s business as usual. Even management of National Water and Sewage Cooperation looks the other way when the sewage is oozing from busted pipes.
Uganda National Water and Sewage Corporation is part of the environmental degradation and unhygienic in Gulu City to be.
GULU – UGANDA: Paul Nsubuga, the Area Manager for Gulu National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is still battling the rampant sewage spill in Gulu town.
Every week, he must confront a spill on the streets of the town – soon to be declared a city in the Northern Uganda region.
“Discharging raw sewage in the environment is very harmful to public health. It is known to be responsible for bacterial diseases such as Cholera and Diarrhea and can harm the environment” Nsubuga said.
To prevent the mentioned diseases, Nsubuga says the sewage must be properly treated before it is disposed in accordance to the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
Some of the affected spots are around Gulu Regional Referral Hospital from where sewage spills from the Mental Health Department onto Dr. Mathew Lukwiya road, around National Water and Sewage Offices and Centenary Bank as well as from Gulu Prison sipping into Kaundah Grounds. Those from Gulu Central Police (CPS) station flow onto Dr. Lucile road.
Nsubuga says many of the lines are illegal lines which are never owned by the National Water and Sewage Corporation (NWSC). He says they only have sewer lines on Harley road.
“I agree that sewage waste is also a public nascent because of the smell, since our sewage overflows and bursts in the environment.” He said.
After every one week, sewage waste flows onto the roads, hence damaging the environment.
Paul Ajuk senior Administrator Gulu Regional Referral Hospital says the system for water and sewage in Gulu Hospital is okay, but it always flows from the national water sewage. And sometimes the blame comes from the NWSC since their sewage lines always bursts off.
“Basically, that is not our line of sewage, and the NWSC sewage line is on Harley road, the road that is on upper side going to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.” Ajuk said
Ajuk acknowledged that the system of sewage pipes has got some faults, however on Monday Feb. 18, 2019 water engineer from Gulu Regional Referral Hospital appealed to the management of National Water and Sewage Corporation to remove the damaged pipes off, and fix new ones. “Now what is flowing is no longer sewage, but water from the open cannel.” He argued.
Patrick Lumumba Oola, the chairman 3 of Bardege division has however attributed the constant overflow of sewage onto the environment to Gulu Municipal Council authority since all drainage works in Gulu Municipality falls directly under their docket.
“We are living in a very dirty town with fear of disease outbreaks like cholera and diarrhea. Therefore, the problem has to be fixed with immediate effect.” Lumumba said
Hotel and restaurant business in the busy Gulu city to be is at stake due to the constant outburst of sewage lines which sometimes contaminates the piped water that they use for preparing meals.
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