Peace but no prosperity

It faces similar challenges but has a guaranteed water supply for the health facility, using a hybrid water system that the ICRC set up.

The hybrid water system comprises a borehole with manual and electronic pumping systems, aided by a solar-run motor.

ICRC engineer Martin Okot says the system can work for an average four hours a day to fill a 10,000 litre tank about 50 metres away.

Currently, ICRC is installing 24 solar panels to run a water system in Pabbo, the biggest camp for internally displaced people — currently 30,000, down from a peak of 65,000.

The water system at Pabbo Primary School pumps 44,000 litres of water every day.

ICRC was to hand over this site to the government in 2007, but did not do so because local authorities could not foot the maintenance bill of 120 litres of fuel every two weeks to run generators.

The handover is expected this month after the solar panels are fixed.

Guettler expects about 10,000 people to remain in Pabbo camp after the rest return to their villages.

If the water is more than enough, some water points will be turned into quality and quantity monitoring sites.

“Last year, we got a list of 55 water sites from Gulu and Amuru districts. We assessed 36 and selected 16 sites for drilling of boreholes alone,” says Guettler.

The water situation has improved. In 2007, water supply was at 1,000 people per water point.

This improved to 700 in 2008, and to about 600 this year — against the national target of 300 people per water point.

The government has started a water and sanitation facility, which will draw from Ush17.8 billion ($9 million) investments in small towns and rural areas in 16 districts of northern Uganda.

It will improve water indicators in the countryside, given that social services have been concentrated in refugee camps.

Some people don’t want to return to the villages, and each has their own reasons.