Visit to the RUWASA Project Area, Mbale, S E Uganda September 2000

During 10-15th September 2000 a visit was made to the DANIDA funded RUWASA Project in S E Uganda by a BGS Senior Hydrogeologist, Mr J Davies, to assess the possible application of horizontal borehole drilling to spring development . Within the project area, east of Mbale, Gravity Fed water distribution Systems (GFS), fed by high altitude springs, are being developed as a cost effective, low maintenance method of supplying moderately large villages. Three typical GFS were visited on the lower slopes of Mount Elgon. Meetings were held at the GFS section of the Directorate of Water Development in Kampala on 11th and 15th September and at the RUWASA project offices in Mbale on 14th September where topics discussed included:  Application of horizontal drilling to GFS.  Development of groundwater development potential maps.  Application of collector well systems in weathered granite and sand river environments.  Community self monitoring of groundwater resources.  Groundwater from low permeability rocks in sub-Saharan Africa. The conclusions of the field visits and meetings included: (1) Horizontal drilling cannot be undertaken to enhance the yields of GFS as presently designed due to access problems. However, there is a need to assess the potential for drilling horizontal drains into the lower slopes at accessible locations for provision of more sustainable supplies at higher discharge rates away from present spring systems. Such systems should not be greatly affected by seasonal rainfall/water level fluctuations and the effects of prolonged drought. BGS could assist RUWASA in the development of such schemes using procedures developed in St Helena, and within collector well systems constructed in Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Botswana. (2) RUWASA have compiled a comprehensive hydrogeological database that needs to be analysed and used to produce hydrogeological maps designed to meet the needs of district users as a pilot project. The systems and map production method developed could then be applied to other districts in Uganda and ultimately to the production of a series of national hydrogeological maps. BGS could advise RUWASA on the production of hydrogeological and groundwater development potential maps using technologies developed in the UK and Nigeria. (3) Hydrogeological survey data collection and storage systems in Uganda need to be upgraded along the lines of those developed for the KaR project in Tanzania and Ghana. These methods need to be applied with the full participation of communities who in turn should be encouraged to undertake self-monitoring of their own water supply systems in the long term. The short and long term data produced by these activities should be integrated into an ongoing GIS database that would allow production of updated maps on a regular basis. Such maps can be used for short and long term planning. BGS would be able to assist the Directorate of Water Development with the collection of appropriate hydrogeological data, required for the production of hydrogeological maps, using methods used initially in Nigeria, and those being developed in Tanzania and Ghana.