Elevating the standard: a professionalized approach to community-based rainwater harvesting systems in Uganda
Tanner J.S. Hoffman | Alinaitwe Collins | Joseph Lwere | James B. Harrington
Where water resources are limited, rainwater harvesting (RWH) can provide on-site access to improved water sources. Community institutions are uniquely positioned to benefit from RWH; advocates have encouraged the installation of community-based RWH systems as a way to ameliorate water supply insufficiencies in low-income settings. However, poor quality RWH system installations and insufficient attention to management support have resulted in sustainability challenges, necessitating a commitment to higher standards for community-based RWH. Spurred on by an iterative learning cycle and commitment to innovation, the Ugandan Water Project has achieved RWH system design, installation, and management practices that are well adapted to Ugandan institutions. By investing in a professional crew, high-quality materials, and post-installation support, the Ugandan Water Project has achieved 96 per cent functionality two years after installation. The professionalized approach that the Ugandan Water Project employs can be used as a model to guide future RWH system installations in Uganda and elsewhere.Abbasi, T. and Abbasi, S.A. (2011) ‘Sources of pollution in rooftop rainwater harvesting systems and their control’, Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology 41(23): 2097–167 <https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2010.497438>.
Adugna, D., Jensen, M.B., Lemma, B. and Gebrie, G.S. (2018) ‘Assessing the potential for rooftop rainwater harvesting from large public institutions’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15(2): 336 <http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020336>.
Arku, F., Omari, S., Adu-Okoree, B. and Abduramane, A. (2015) ‘Harvested rainwater: quality, adequacy, and proximity in Ghanaian rural communities’, Development in Practice 25(8): 1160–9 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2015.1081676>.
Baguma, D., Loiskandl, W. and Jung, H. (2010a) ‘Water management, rainwater harvesting and predictive variables in rural households’, Water Resources Management 24: 3333–48 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11269-010-9609-9>.
Baguma, D., Loiskandl, W., Darnhofer, I., Jung, H. and Hauser, M. (2010b) ‘Knowledge of measures to safeguard harvested rainwater quality in rural domestic households’, Journal of Water and Health 8(2): 334–45 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wh.2009.030>.
Blanchard, J.P. (2012) ‘Rainwater harvesting storage methods and self supply in Uganda’ [online], Master’s thesis, University of South Florida, Tampa <http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3979> [accessed 1 March 2021].
Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) (2018) Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage Fact Sheets [pdf], Calgary, Canada: CAWST <https://resources.cawst.org/fact-sheets/23cb9359/household-water-treatment-and-safe-storage-fact-sheets> [accessed 1 March 2021].
Chaplin, H. and Legge, H. (2019) ‘Financing and design innovation in rural domestic rainwater harvesting in Madagascar’, Waterlines 38(2): 113–22 <http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.18-00033>.
Dao, A.D., Nguyen, D.C. and Han, M.Y. (2017) ‘Design and operation of a rainwater for drinking (RFD) project in a rural area: case study at Cukhe Elementary School, Vietnam’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 7(4): 651–8 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2017.055>.
Gwenzi, W., Dunjana, N., Pisa, C., Tauro, T. and Nyamadzawo, G. (2015) ‘Water quality and public health risks associated with roof rainwater harvesting systems for potable supply: review and perspectives’, Sustainability of Water Quality and Ecology 6: 107–18 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.swaqe.2015.01.006>.
Hamilton, K., Reyneke, B., Waso, M., Clements, T., Ndlovu, T., Khan, W., DiGiovanni, K., Rakestraw, E., Montalto, F., Haas, C.N. and Ahmed, W. (2019) ‘A global review of the microbiological quality and potential health risks associated with roof-harvested rainwater tanks’, npj Clean Water 2: 7 <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-019-0030-5>.
Kim, Y., Han, M., Kabubi, J., Sohn, H.G. and Nguyen, D.C. (2016) ‘Community-based rainwater harvesting (CB-RWH) to supply drinking water in developing countries: lessons learned from case studies in Africa and Asia’, Water Science and Technology: Water Supply 16(4): 1110–21 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2016.012>.
Mwamila, T.B., Han, M.Y., Kim, T.I. and Ndomba, P.M. (2015) ‘Tackling rainwater shortages during dry seasons using a socio-technical operational strategy’, Water Science and Technology: Water Supply 15(5): 974–80 <https://doi.org/10.2166/ws.2015.053>.
Mwamila, T.B., Han, M.Y. and Katambara, Z. (2016a) ‘Strategy to Overcome Barriers of Rainwater Harvesting, Case Study Tanzania’, Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection 4: 13–23 <http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/gep.2016.49002>.
Mwamila, T.B., Han, M.Y. and Kum, S. (2016b) ‘Sustainability evaluation of a primary school rainwater demonstration project in Tanzania’, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 6(3): 447–55 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2016.186>.
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) (2016) State of the Environment Report for Uganda 2014 [pdf], Kampala, Uganda: NEMA <https://nema.go.ug/sites/all/themes/nema/docs/FINAL%20NSOER%202014.pdf> [accessed 1 March 2021].
Nijhof, S., Jantowski, B., Meerman, R. and Schoemaker, A. (2010) ‘Rainwater harvesting in challenging environments: towards institutional frameworks for sustainable domestic water supply’, Waterlines 29(3): 209–19 <https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2010.022>.
Parker, A., Cruddas, P., Rowe, N., Carter, R. and Webster, J. (2012) ‘Tank costs for domestic rainwater harvesting in East Africa’, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Water Management 166(10): 536–45 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/wama.11.00113>.
Saboori, S., Nyaoke, G. and Rheingans, R. (2014) ‘Large-scale school rainwater harvesting systems: a pilot study in Nyanza Province, Kenya’, Waterlines 33(2): 154–9 <http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2014.016>.
Temesgen, T., Han, M., Park, H. and Kim, T.I. (2015) ‘Design and technical evaluation of improved rainwater harvesting system on a university building in Ethiopia’, Water Science and Technology: Water Supply 15(6): 1220–7 <http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/ws.2015.085>.
Thomas, T.H. (2014) ‘The limitations of roofwater harvesting in developing countries’, Waterlines 33(2): 139–45 <http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2014.014>.
Thomas, T.H. and Martinson, D.B. (2007) Roofwater Harvesting: A Handbook for Practitioners [pdf], Delft, The Netherlands: International Water and Sanitation Centre <https://www.ircwash.org/sites/default/files/Thomas-2007-Roofwater.pdf> [accessed 1 March 2021].
The Sustainability Aspect Affecting the Urban Rainwater Harvesting System in Balikpapan City: A Water Supply Adaption Strategies for The Capital City of Nusantara
Azmanajaya, Emil
Hermansyah, Hadi
Rus, Tatag Yufitra
Kiptiah, Mariatul
Devi, Suheriah Mulia
Aditya, Angga Wahyu
Paulus, Chaterina Agusta
Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan (Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management), Vol. 14 (2024), Iss. 3 P.627
https://doi.org/10.29244/jpsl.14.3.627 [Citations: 0]Perception of coastal citizens on the prospect of community-based rainwater harvesting system for sustainable water resource management
Mukarram, Mirza Md Tasnim
Kafy, Abdulla - Al
Mukarram, Mirza Md Tahsin
Rukiya, Quazi Umme
Almulhim, Abdulaziz I.
Das, Anutosh
Fattah, Md. Abdul
Rahman, Muhammad Tauhidur
Chowdhury, Md. Arif
Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Vol. 198 (2023), Iss. P.107196
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.107196 [Citations: 12]- A call to action: organizational, professional, and personal change for gender transformative WASH programming
- Providing municipal faecal sludge management services: lessons from Bangladesh
- Menstrual hygiene management: education and empowerment for girls?
- Webwatch
- Transgender-inclusive sanitation: insights from South Asia