At least five rivers in the Kween district have dried up causing an acute water shortage for residents. Three of the rivers that have dried up are Ngenge, Chebulyagate and sundet.
According to district officials, the affected rivers have been acting as a major source of water for residents for domestic use and production. Several sub-counties in the lower and upper belts have no source of water.
Alfred Anguria, the Kween District Water engineer, says climate change is one of the reasons behind the water shortage. He also notes that farmers especially in the upper belt where the rivers originate from have encroached on the river banks and catchment areas, which has significantly affected the water levels.
“We are feeling a crisis because the water levels are not able to meet the demand,” he said. Anguria says that the water crisis is causing violence in the district, citing a recent incident where locals from some sub-counties in the lower belt planned an attack on those in the upper belt accusing them of blocking the flow of water downwards.
The water coverage in Kween district currently stands at 56%. Residents access to water from protected springs, boreholes and water gravity schemes. Boreholes are mainly found in the lower belt while protect springs are in the middle belt and the gravity flow provides water from the forest to the people living in the upper belt of the district.
David Mande, a resident of Yatui Parish in Tuikat sub-county in Kween district, says that all the streams that provided water to the people through the gravity flow scheme have dried up. He said that it has now become very difficult for people to access water, saying that many people have to wake up as early as 5:00 am to go to the nearest sub-counties to collect water from Atari river.
Sam Charles Chebet, the LCIII Chairperson of Kabroroni sub-county, says that the water crisis has affectedKabroroni Health Ceneter IV where patients have to trek long distances in search of water. He says that it is high time the government intervened in the conservation of the environment since the crisis has been caused by the dry spell.
Joel Soyekwo, a resident of Binyiny town council, says that the water crisis has affected the farming cycle noting that by this time, farmers would have already planted crops. “Some years back by this time, we were supposed to be enjoying fresh foodstuff like Irish potatoes cabbage among others”, he said.
Francis Konya, a resident of Sikit village Cheminy parish, Kaptum sub-county, says that they depend on water from a small stream known as sikit, whose volumes have also dropped.
Sisco Chelangat, a resident of Katoyoy sub-county, says that water scarcity is raising health risks because people can’t bathe while others take dirty water.
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