Residents of Fort-portal town are badly hit by a severe water crisis due to a persistent power outage.
The water shortage over the past three days has left many residents in the three divisions of East, West and South division in Fort Portal municipality, and the neighboring areas in Kabarole, stuck with no alternatives to clean sources of water.
The water situation is affecting business activities and posing a danger to the health of the people.
The price of a jerry can of water has short up to 1,000 shillings as casual laborers reap from the stuck residents. Ruth Katusabe, a hotelier in Kisenyi says she is spending 10,000shs for ten jerry cans of water from the 1000 shs she used to pay a day. She says if the situation continues, her business will be affected.
Some residents have been compelled to fetch dirty water from River Mpanga, which originates from Mt.Rwenzori crossing Fort Portal town and empties its waters into Lake George.
The water shortage has also affected patients in hospitals, lodges and hotel owners.
Patients at Buhinga refferal hospital, say there is no water in the Hospital for cooking and flushing the toilets.
Jesca Namukwana, the Fort Portal National Water and Sewerage Co-operation Branch Manager admits that the water shortage has been aggravated by persistent loads shedding.
She however says there is enough water in their reserve tanks at Kahungabunyonyi, but they are unable to pump and supply the people with water when UMEME or electricity is off.
The manager UMEME Fort Portal branch could not be reached for a comment as to why there was load shading because it was a weekend and all their offices were locked.
