Overview
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Population: 893,681 people according to the 2019 population census. - Water access: 61 percent of the population accessing water from improved sources.
- Latrine access: 83 percent accessing basic latrine while 14 percent accessing improved latrines.
- County water service providers: Busia Water and Sewerage Services Company (BUWASSCO).
- Other key partners: County ministries of Environment, Health and Water, Lake Victoria Water Works Development Agency, Water Resources Authority (WRA), water resource users associations (WRUAs), AMREF, UNICEF and SNV.
The water and sanitation challenge
The county water sector suffered from dilapidated infrastructure in both rural and urban water schemes, wrangles and corruption in the majority of WASH enterprises, mismanagement, lack of business acumen in daily operations especially for rural based WASH entities, illegal connections and poor customer relations. On sanitation, the county had been declared open defecation free (ODF) by the year 2015 in all seven sub-counties of Butula, Bunyala, Matayos, Nambale, Samia, Teso North and Teso South comprising 1,483 villages.
USAID KIWASH’s interventions
Supporting access to clean water
KIWASH provided tailored technical assistance to the County Department of Water and BUWASSCO aimed at improving water coverage from below 50 percent. As such, KIWASH supported six county and community water projects (Alema Borehole Project, Mundika and Sisenye water schemes, Buduongi, Malanga Lugulu and Ogallo WASH enterprises) valued at USD 867,769.30. Besides, 20 WASH enterprises underwent a capacity development cycle that included training, coaching and mentoring of individual WASH enterprises.
Promoting access to basic and improved sanitation and hygiene
Since the county had been declared as ODF, KIWASH’s interventions aimed at supporting communities move up the sanitation ladder. This involved social and behavior change communication that entailed educating communities on desirable practices through KIWASH trained 48 community health volunteers (CHVs) and four community health extension workers from Bukhulungu, Budalangi, Sirekeresi, Mudembi, Sigulu and Ruambwa community units. Additionally, KIWASH supported eight CHV groups from Bunyala, Samia, Nambale and Butula sub-counties to engage in sanitation marketing.
Promoting environmental sustainability
To promote source water protection, KIWASH worked with relevant government agencies and four water resource user association (Bumasa, Ikonzo, Malakisi and Wakhungu). The support to government agencies focused on building the capacity of county government departments of environment, water, climate change and WRA in order to promote climate change-responsive policies.
Results
- 49,483 people accessing basic and improved water courtesy of USAID’s assistance.
- 10,065 people accessing improved sanitation.
- 11 springs protected to enhance access to basic water sources (Iyabo, Juma Orieyo, Lukolis Osia, Obwolo, Ogwaro, Ohanya, Omlongoti, Osebe A, Osia, Solomon and Wanguba).
- 2 tree nurseries established at Ikonzo and Wakhungu WRUAs.
Success stories
The county in numbers
