Omoro seeks UGX 1.9 Billion to repair broken boreholes

The broken boreholes are mainly in Koro, Lakwana, Odek, Lalogi, Orapwoyo and Tochi sub counties among others.

The district officials say some of them broke down four years ago and have never been repaired leaving residents having shortage of clean water.

Francis Watdok Awori, the Omoro district secretary for works and technical services disclosed to URN on Thursday that the district has 500 boreholes serving at least 17,000 people.

He cried that the district is cash strapped and cannot repair the boreholes since it receives only 400 million shillings from the water sector grant but this is not enough to repair the boreholes.

Awori says currently members in the affected communities get water for both drinking and domestic use from shallow wells, springs, swamps and through rain water harvesting.

Douglas Peter Okello, the Omoro district chairperson told URN that last week the district wrote to the Ministry of Water and Environment requesting for money to help repair the broken boreholes.

According to Okello, some of the boreholes were constructed many years ago by aid agencies during the Lord`s Resistance Army (LRA) war with the government.

Franco Ojok, a resident of Rom village in Koro sub county said that they draw water for drinking and domestic use from Ali, Abac, Otim Lagina and unprotected springs due to absence of a borehole in the area.

He explained that often the water sources also run dry during dry seasons leaving them helpless.

A report from the district shows that access to clean water stands at 67% which is still below the national level of 75%.

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URN