A Strategy to Provide a Sustainable Supply of Safe Water to a Typical Rural Ugandan Community: An Engineering Case Study

About A Strategy to Provide a Sustainable Supply of Safe Water to a Typical Rural Ugandan Community: An Engineering Case Study

Abstract

Most populations in the developed world have massive and far-reaching drinking water systems, which grew from an essential item in the development of the civilized world.....the Village Well. The techniques of drilling a village water well at a reasonable cost, even in remote areas of the world, are well understood and are commonly put into practice. However, the fact remains that a large percentage of people do not have access to safe water. We take Uganda as an example, where we have had considerable experience, and argue that we must help build up its infrastructure so that the graduates of their schools and colleges can go on to help their society. More than 85% 1 of Uganda’s 28 million 2 people live in rural areas where an estimated 43% 3 (10.2 million people) do not have access to safe water. The solution to providing a sustainable supply of safe water has two components. The first (an engineering solution) is to provide a supply of safe water. The second (an educational solution) is to help the people learn the techniques necessary to 1) obtain and maintain the source of the safe water and 2) assure the safety of the water supply. A study was conducted to determine why, in the Hoima Town Council District of northwestern Uganda consisting of 36,000 5 people, 60% of the village wells (200 wells) were not supplying safe drinking water. This paper discusses the results of that study. It describes the engineering methods and applications of science that are available to make the appropriate changes and the associated educational measures which, if adopted, would ensure a sustainable supply of safe water to the 36,000 people. Combating disease and preventing its spread to a great extent relies on the understanding of biology and the role of water. All those in the medical arts need an understanding of biology with a detailed knowledge of clinical microbiology – study of bacteria and viruses – and the basic elements of immunology. A major effort has been devoted to gathering information and assessing it for use in supporting (1) biology education at the secondary school level, (2) molecular biology education at the college level, and (3) continuing education of teachers in both biology and the allied sciences. The rationale for doing this is related to the old adage about giving a fish to a villager in want of food. It is a good Christian thing to do. Giving food certainly is something of great value but teaching the villager how to fish is something that should never be neglected by Christians whenever such is possible. The strategy entails coordination with staff members from two universities in Uganda. This coordination will facilitate the implementation of the approach for providing a sustainable supply of safe water for a rural area. This joint effort in stewardship of resources will strengthen the advancement of Christian ideals in attending to the needs of some of God's people in Uganda. We recall Mat 10:42: “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.“