Construction of Agweng Primary School Total Sanitation Lira District

Abstract

The Government of Uganda is committed to a policy for the increased provision of safe water supply and adequate sanitation to the whole population. Access to safe water and hygienic sanitation facilities provides a solid foundation for prosperity for all (Uganda Vision 2040). The key goal for the water sector under the National Development Plan II (2016-2020), is to provide sustainable safe water supply within easy reach, based on management responsibility and ownership by the users; access from 62% to 73% of the rural population and 77% to 100% of the urban population by the year 2020, with an 80% – 90% effective use and functionality of the facilities. The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE through the Government of Uganda (GOU) received a credit from the African Development Bank (ADFB) towards the cost of constructing a total sanitation package at Agweng primary school in Lira district. The overall objective of the project was to improve the healt h and social condit ions of school children through provision of improved sanitat ion, better communicat ion and informat ion and to effectively manage bio-degradable wastes for improved school healt h. The major components of the project included construction of 14-stance biogas toilet for girls including wash room, 8-stance biogas toilet for boys, an Incinerator, 45m 3 Biogas digester, Expansion Chamber, mixing chamber, piping and fittings for digester and holding tank.

The construction contract was signed on 6 th August and work commenced on 2 nd September 2019, implemented by Ms Awico Engineering company Ltd supervised by Water and Sanitation Development

Facility- North on behalf of Ministry of Water and Environment.

Two design approaches was used; Design 1 entails the design of a 133m 3 rectangular septic tank while design 2 entails the design of a 45m 3 biogas digester tank incorporated into design 1. Some of the key challenges faced in the project included time delays due to bad weather , Operation and Maintenance and lack of skills from technicians since this biogas technology was new to them. I recommend that some members of staff from the school, comprising at least one female teacher be trained and appointed to train the new pupils on the use of the facility and the school need to have a maintenance and operation plans for project to attain its intended purpose. The report is organized into five chapters, Chapter one is introduction and feasibility study and needs assessment, chapter two entails designs of biogas digester system, chapter three details project procurement and implementation, chapter four presents project management aspects and chapter five is about conclusions and recommendations preceded by appendices.