SPR 2017 Final

281 Pages·2017·8.73 MB·English

Government of Uganda
Ministry of Water and Environment

Water and Environment
Sector Performance Report 2017

Foreword
It is my pleasure to present to you the 9th Water and Environment Sector Performance Report (SPR) for the period
2016/17FY. This report provides information on investments, targets, achievements, and challenges for the sector during
the previous financial year.
The sector registered some achievements during the FY16/17. As of June 2017, the average access to safe water in rural
areas was estimated at 70% (which is a 3% increase from 67% as of June 2016). Communities need however to be
sensitized on hygienic practices in order to maintain a safe water chain from the source up to storage at the household
level. The functionality for rural water supplies has on the hand reduced to 85%, from the 86% which was reported in
June 2016. Access to safe drinking water in the urban water has stagnated, and stands at 71%. It is worth noting the
water and sanitation services managed by the National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have now expanded to
cover a total of 218 towns. The quality, reliability, and number of connections in these towns has improved significantly.
According to data in urban areas outside Kampala, 86% of the urban population has access to basic sanitation. Access to
basic rural sanitation was 80% by June 2016, (from 79% last year). While the national standards for school sanitation
recommend a pupil to stance ratio of 1:40, this ration further worsened to 71:1, from that of last year (70:1). Only 35%
of the pupils have access to washing facilities, which puts the lives of the pupils at risk of faecal related diseases leading
to absenteeism.
By the end of FY 2015/16, the national cumulative storage for water for production had increased from 37.2 million
cubic meters (in FY 2015/16), to 38.9 million cubic meters. This is just a small portion of the amount required meet all
the livestock watering, irrigation and other economic needs.
Implementation of catchment based integrated water resources management activities is on-going in the 4 Water
Management Zones (WMZs). Twenty surface water stations and eleven groundwater stations of the Water Resources
Monitoring Network were upgraded from manual to telemetric data collection, which forms a major component in the
development of an Early Warning Telemetry System since it enables quick dissemination of the information products to
the public and researchers. Important achievements under included Policy Reviews to account for national interest in
trans-boundary water resources, institutional reviews for improved management of cross-border river basins and
coordinating investments and projects in trans-boundary basins and catchments.
The percentage of Uganda’s area covered by wetlands is estimated at 10.9%. Activities to restore wetlands are still on-
going in many districts, though there is open resistance by some illegal wetland users utilizing the wetlands.
Notwithstanding the activities in forestry, the forest coverage has further reduced and is now 9%. 12 % of the forests
are under strict nature reserve. Forest reserves with management plans are now 36% of the total number of reserves.
Monitoring of activities within the Albertine Graben was undertaken to establish whether the treatment and disposal of
oil waste is in compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
The key challenge faced by the sector is the inadequate financing to achieve the targets under the National Development
Plan (NDP-II) and the 2016 National Resistance Movement (NRM) re-election Manifesto. The sector continues to receive
only 3% of the national budget resources yet its role in transforming Uganda into middle income status by 2020 is very
strategic.
Finally, on behalf of the Government of Uganda, let me express our gratitude to the Sector Development Partners, the
Civil Society Organisations and the Private sector for the support given during the financial year.
For God and my country,

Hon. Cheptoris Sam
MINISTER FOR WATER AND ENVIRONMENT, UGANDA

Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2017

Executive Summary Appropriation in Aid had the biggest share of 41%
of the released funds, followed by 35% by GoU
This is the 9th Water and Environment Sector funding and 17% by donor funding.
Performance Report (SPR). It provides a concise
The Government of Uganda (GoU) through its
and transparent overview of investments, targets,
Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and its
achievements, outputs and challenges for the
Development Partners (DPs) has been
sector during 2016/17FY (i.e. SPR 2017). This
implementing a 5-year joint funding programme
report includes data and analyses with respect to
that will come to an end by June 2018. During this
the access, functionality and equity of improved
period, Uganda’s funding architecture has
water supplies, sanitation and hygiene, per capita
gradually changed from a move to align and
investment cost, water quality, water storage,
harmonise with respect to the Paris Agenda to
gender and community management, water
mostly project implementation modalities used by
resources management compliance, catchment
Donors, UN agencies and NGOs.
management planning as well as activities and
achievements in environmental monitoring and Progress on undertakings of 2016/17
compliance, wetlands and forestry management,
A total of 12 undertakings were adopted during
meteorology and climate change.
last year’s water and environment Joint Sector
Introduction Review which was held in September 2016.
Thematic groups and subgroups were formed to
Data used for this report is derived from databases
implement the undertakings; they prepared action
in the Ministry of Water and Environment, District
plans with indicators/outputs to monitor progress
Local Governments, sector semi-autonomous
of implementation of each undertaking, which
agencies, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education,
were subsequently approved by the Water and
and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS).
Environment Sector Working Group (WESWG).
Databases within the Ministry were enhanced and
Progress made on implementation of the 12
updated, both in terms of water supply status and
undertakings shows that only four undertakings
in terms of operation and maintenance of urban
were achieved (i.e. Nos 5, 7, 8 and 10), two
water supplies.
undertakings covering also FY2017/18 are on track
Sector Finance (Nos 11 and 12), five undertakings were partially
achieved (Nos 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9) and delayed mostly
In the FY2016/17, the total financing to the Sector
as a result of insufficient resources for their
(including both off-budget and on-budget
implementation, whereas one has largely not
resources), totalled to approx. UGX bn 1,098.66, of
progressed at all (6) following lack of funds.
which UGX bn 1,043.73 was on budget
(appropriated by Parliament for Ministry of Water Rural Water Supply
and Environment (MWE) and all the agencies
The main technology options used for water supply
National Environment Management Agency
improvements in rural areas include deep
(NEMA), National Forestry Authority (NFA), UNMA
boreholes (42%), shallow wells (25%), and
and National Water and Sewerage Corporation
protected springs (21%); others include tap stands
(NWSC)), while UGX bn 54.93 was off budget. The
and kiosks of piped schemes and rainwater
donor On-budget allocation within this total
harvesting tanks.
allocation amounted to UGX bn 331.552, one-third
of the total funding envelope. The off-budget As of June 2017, the national safe water coverage
financing was mobilized by Civil Society in rural areas is estimated at 70% (up from 67% in
Organizations (CSOs) both in the Water and June 2016). The functionality for rural water
Environment Sub-sectors. supplies has on the other hand reduced to 85%,
(from 86% in June 2016 and 88% in June 2015). A
All government ministries, departments,
total of UGX bn 106.5 bn was used to serve 944,739
agencies/parastatals are now required to declare
persons with new improved water supplies. The
their annual internally generated funds for
overall per capita cost for rural water supplies was
approval by parliament as Appropriation in Aid. In
UGX 114,295 (USD 32), similar to the UGX 110,887
terms of releases of the allocated budget,
for FY 2015/16. A total of UGX 64.7 billion was
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Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2017
expended on multi-year projects of Bukwo I, the Districts and private farmers using WfP
Nyarwodho I, Bududa I, Bududa I, Butebo, solar- construction equipment) was 1,680,000m3
powered mini-piped water schemes and drilling compared to 5,485,000m3 in the previous year.
under the framework contract.
Water Resources Management
Urban Water Supply
Twenty surface water stations and eleven
Access to drinking water in urban areas has groundwater stations of the Water Resources
stagnated at 71%. During 2016/17FY, a total of Monitoring Network were upgraded from manual
425,000 people had to be served just to maintain to telemetric data collection.
the access to safe water. Of these, 290,000
MWE carried out water quality assessments in 15
resulted from population growth in the urban
districts that have been listed as cholera-prone
councils that existed in 2016. The remaining
districts by Ministry of Health. Out of the 216
135,000, approximately, result from the additional
sources sampled, only 50% were safe, and out of
unserved population of the new Town Councils
the 176 households where drinking water was
created in 2016/17.
tested, only 32% had safe water.
New water supply schemes were constructed by
Compliance to waste water discharge permit
MWE’s deconcentrated Water Supply
conditions improved from 56% to 59%. The biggest
Development Facilities. The average per capita
waste water dischargers such as NWSC facilities,
investment cost for the new water facilities
sugar manufacturing companies, leather tanning
increased to US$ 54 in FY 2016/17 (below the
industries have improved their compliance this
target per capita investment cost of US$ 85).
financial year. Enforcement efforts continue to
O&M support to the piped water systems in small ensure that permit holders put in place measures
towns and rural growth centres that are not to comply with these conditions
managed by NWSC is ensured by six regional
Trans-boundary organizations that have continued
Umbrella Organisations.
to be supported through both financial
Regulation in the water sector is done to balance contributions and providing technical guidance.
the commercial objective of efficient and These include the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), Lake
sustainable service provision with the social Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) Global Water
objective of accessible and affordable water supply Partnership (GWP), and Inter Governmental
and sewerage services in rural and urban piped Authority on Development (IGAD).
water supply systems including sanitation. The
Water resources planning, development and
regular monitoring of performance contracts is
management is being undertaken within
carried out by MWE’s Water Utility Regulation
catchment boundaries, as opposed to
Department for currently 218 urban systems
administrative boundaries, and is coordinated
managed by NWSC and 127 gazetted piped water
country-wide in four Water Management Zones
schemes in Small Towns and Rural Growth Centers.
(WMZs) of Kyoga, Victoria, Albert and Upper Nile.
Water for Production Six Catchment Management Organisations (CMO)
were established namely, Lokere, Lokok, Lumbuye,
MWE constructs and rehabilitates earth dams and
Katonga, Semliki and Kiiha, which makes a total
valley tanks mainly in the cattle corridor. Secondly,
number of 15 CMOs in the country as per end of
its bulk water transfer programme aims to supply
June 2017. Currently, Catchment Management
adequate amounts and quality of water all year
Planning is ongoing in 15 catchments in the country
round for multi-purpose use by conveying large
with already a number of catchment management
quantities from places of plenty to places of
plans developed.
scarcity. MWE is also constructing irrigation
schemes and operates and manages earth moving Sanitation and Hygiene
equipment for construction of valley tanks, hired
Most districts worked on creating demand for
out to individual farmers at subsidised rates.
improved sanitation, working in two sub-counties
The total volume added through investments by using either Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
MWE in the FY 2016/17 (including facilities done by or Home Improvement Campaigns (HIC) as
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Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2017

approach. According to district reports, access to suspects were arrested), 54 trucks and
rural (basic) sanitation has further increased to engineering plants were impounded as exhibits
80% by June 2017, while 37% have access to a hand and fines were imposed on encroachers.
washing facility.
Forestry Management
According to data in urban areas outside Kampala,
The major challenge for forest management in
85.5% of the urban population has access to basic
Uganda is de-forestation which is demonstrated by
sanitation. An estimated 40% of the urban
the decline of forest cover from 24% in 1990 to
population have access to a hand washing facility,
11% in 2015. Forest coverage in the country is now
although this is not an indication of actual use.
at 9% only. 12 % of the forests are under strict
Some of the hand washing facilities lack soap
nature reserve. Forest reserves with management
and/or water.
plans are now 36% of the total number of reserves.
The national standards recommend a pupil to
Environmental Support Services
stance ratio of 40:1 in schools. According to district
reports, the national pupil:stance ratio has further NEMA approved a total of 962 EIAs for
worsened to 71:1, compared to last year (70:1). development projects in order to take care of
Access to hand washing in schools has continued to environmental and social safeguards. A total of
be low with only 35% of the schools having access 1,341 environmental inspections and audits were
to washing facilities. carried out, for which the environmental
compliance levels range from 70 to 75%;
CSOs Contribution to Water and Sanitation
compliance within the oil and gas sector is best
During the FY 2016/17, a total of 76 Civil Society (75%). The approval of EIAs and issuance of permits
Organisations (CSOs) made a total investment of in fragile ecosystems especially in wetlands has
UGX 38.39 billion in the areas of water supply, been severely restricted due to the poor
sanitation and hygiene promotion, community compliance by the developers (30% compliance
management, water for production and integrated level).
water resources management. The highest level of
During FY2016/17, a total of 50 km of the external
investment was made in water supply (UGX 21.03
boundaries of the 5 Central Forest Reserves (CFRs)
billion) and sanitation (11.6 billion).
of Mabira were surveyed and demarcated with
CSOs have continued to collaborate with ministries concrete pillars. 4,755 hectares (ha) of Mabira
and their agencies, local governments and were mapped as degraded or understocked and
development partners. Within the districts of 1,500 ha of these are under restoration.
operations, most CSOs are members of the district Stakeholder engagement at village level is on-going
water and sanitation coordination committees to ensure sustainability of the project in the long
(DWSCCs), they attend DWSCC quarterly meetings run, and ensure the demarcation activities are
and share reports with the Local Government. This done without community interference.
collaboration and coordination between CSOs and
Meteorology, Weather and Climate Services
district local governments has led to improved
information flow for planning purposes, non- The Uganda National Meteorological Authority
duplication of services in WASH and prevention of (UNMA), is a semi-autonomous government
conflicts of interest in WASH activities. authority which is responsible for provision of
weather information/forecasts and climate
Wetlands Management
services. In total 65,745 national, regional and
The percentage of Uganda’s area covered by international meteorological data exchanges have
wetlands is estimated at 10.9%. During the been carried out through various messages such as
FY2016/17, MWE demarcated 167.7kms of critical Synops, Metars, and Terminal aerodrome
wetlands, and restored a total of 476 hectares (ha) forecasts. UNMA supports districts by establishing
of degraded wetlands. The MWE, with support functional weather stations which generates data
from the Environment Protection Police conducted that is used in producing early warning
compliance monitoring of 231 sites, whereas 214 information. Currently 32 districts out of 115
cases were registered in various courts, 131
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Uganda Water and Environment Sector Performance Report 2017
districts have functioning weather stations which contract managers in timely procurement, and
translates into 28% coverage. implementation.
Climate Change Critical Issues for the Sector
A Ugandan government delegation participated in The Joint Water and Environment Sector Support
the 22nd UNFCCC Conference of the Parties Programme (JWESSP 2013-2018) is coming to an
(COP22) in Marrakech in November 2016. During end by June 2o18. It is planned to develop a
the COP22, a universal declaration was adopted for JWESSP- Phase II, a successor to the ongoing
fast-tracking climate action in the most vulnerable programme to start in July 2017. The main changes
countries, which include Uganda. Climate Change in development partner support refer to the fact
Baseline Surveys were conducted in 32 District that (i) some partners are substantially ending
Local Governments, to highlight the climate their support to the sector (or are changing their
change impacts in different districts and update areas of support) and (ii) future funding
the district climate change profiles. With this arrangements under the next Joint Programme are
information, climate change action planning and going to allow less flexibility.
implementation in the respective district local
Inadequate financing to the sector is a major
governments can be focused to areas of the most
challenge and affects the fulfilment of core
priority.
functions of the sector (such as technical support
CSOs in Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) to districts or monitoring of water quantity and
quality) as well as the adaptation capacity to new
In total 34 CSOs active in ENR reported a
challenges such as industrialisation or climate
contribution amounting to USD 4,721,909 in FY
change. This leads to a situation where the targets
2016/17. Most resources are spent in the Central
under the Second National Development Plan and
and Western Region. Eastern and Northern
Presidential Directives (e.g. one water source per
Uganda receive least funding through ENR CSOs.
village) are unlikely to be me with current funding
There is a decline in resources spent on national
levels. The ENR sub-sector still remains grossly
level initiatives and processes. Forestry continues
underfunded especially at district local
to be the sub-sector where relatively most
government level.
resources are spent whereas a decline is shown for
the wetland sub-sector. ENR CSOs spent the The Umbrella organisations were gazetted as
majority of their resources on Forestry (48%), Water Authorities in July 2017. It will be a main
Environment (18%) and governance (17%). focus of work for 2017/18 to establish their new
governance, financial management and
Good Governance Activities
monitoring systems and conduct related capacity
The sector has incorporated good governance building. In the short term, the Umbrellas will be
indicators in its reporting framework. 10 indicators challenged by a double mandate, to be fulfilled
for good governance were developed to evaluate with very limited human and logistical resources.
the mode of reporting, quality of available data and In addition to the direct operational responsibility
better understanding of the associated governance for the schemes where the Umbrellas are gazetted
issues. The governance principles assessed are as Water Authorities, they will also be expected to
accountability, transparency and participation. continue providing support to all the other piped
The performance of MWE in the Public water supply schemes in their region.
Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets
Status of Golden and Platinum Indicators
Authority (PPDA)’s procurement audit report of
FY2015/16 was ‘highly satisfactory’ as a result of a The performance of the water and environment
high average compliance score of 94% for sub-sectors against the Golden and Platinum
procurement systems, and procurement processes indicators respectively, is presented on the
. However, failure to perform within the planned following page. Achievements above the target for
timelines was found to be extensive. The PPDA FY 2016/17 are shaded green, while indicators
recommended that contract implementation time shaded red highlight the non-achievement in FY
to reduce variations should be observed. MWE has 2016/17.
subsequently developed a tracking tool to assist
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