COMMUNITY THREATENS TO SUE NWSC FOR IRREGULAR MAINTENANCE OF MANHOLES

Disgruntled residents gathered around the area where there is leakage from the NWSC pipe

By Morish Dramadri

Arua city

Community members along the catchment areas of National Water and Sewage Corporation(NWSC) line in the cells of Dadamu, Orionzi and Oluodri in Ariwara ward Ayivu division East in Arua city have threatened to sue the corporation over irregular monitoring and maintenance of manholes in the area that are posing health hazard to the people in the area.

This comes following an overflow of one of the manholes in Oluodri cell that releases sewage into river Osuu producing an irritating scent in the area, now worrying the locals.

According to some aggrieved community members, their health is already at risk as they do sand minding along the river and also uses the water for other house chores.

Adaku Keffa Wilson the former L.C3 chairperson of the then Dadamu Sub County disclosed that they as the community will drag national water to court. “I think there is pure negligence of monitoring, when we irrigate the gardens, all remain faeces but whose faeces when ours are in the toilets? We are going to mobilize the community and take National water to court for the risks we are undertaking, and we don’t know how long we are going to live, for now and they have to compensate to burry us before we die,” he said.  

This is not the first time the community along the sewage line in this area have raised alarm over their health after promises made to them to put clean water points in the area during the inception of the project were not fulfilled.

Hon Anguyo Godfrey speaking during the engagement with community

Hon. Godfrey Anguyo the area councilor of Ayivu north notified that “One year ago, we were with National water talking about the same thing when these pipes had fallen, one year down the road you are coming to tell us the same story, if National cannot finally rectify these breakages, we are going to move up to your office, if need be to remove these pipes down, what you are doing is disservice to the people,” Anguyo furiously said. 

But Ronald Baate the head of technical operations at National water and sewage cooperation in Arua called for calm as they are ready to manage the sewage. “we are sorry for what has happened that there was an overflow, when you look at the source of the problem, it is because of what is been put into the manhole chambers, calling people to protest I think that is not the right move but if it has escalated to a level that national water is going to be prosecuted, I have no control over it, I know that national water is ready to manage the waste,” Baate pleaded.

Ronald Baate the technical engineer at NWSC while speaking to the community on Monday

Sewage and wastewater contain bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses that can cause intestinal, lung, and other infections to humans.