In short
Samson Ombogo, the general manager of Fairways Hotel explained that the main objective of asking for borehole permits is to cut costs on water used for gardening.
Some hotels in Kampala have applied to the Ministry of water and environment to grant them permission to drill boreholes in their premises despite the ban by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
According to some of the hotel managers if allowed this will help them to cut the ever increasing costs of water they incur during their operations.
Samson Ombogo, the general manager of Fairways Hotel explained that the main objective of asking for borehole permits is to cut costs on water used for gardening.
He says the hotel occupies 4 acres of land and has big gardens which require a lot of water to keep the environment green and to avoid plants from drying because using water from National Water and Sewerage Corporation is expensive.
Ian Duncan, the general manager of Kampala Sheraton Hotel said it is not about Kampala water being very expensive but sometimes it is not reliable and therefore they need standby boreholes in their premises.
He admitted that there are periods where the national water agency has supplies little water but also wondered whether the hotels want to cut costs since they use a lot of water.
According to reports from the Ministry of water and environment it is not only the two that have applied to drill boreholes; other hotels such as Africana, Imperial Royal have also applied.
But the commissioner water resources planning and regulations in the Ministry of water and environment, Dr. Callist Tindimugaya disclosed that it is not only hotels but the agency managing City Square now Constitutional Square and others in Kololo upscale residential area have also applied for permits to drill boreholes in their respective areas.
He said government was studying the proposals case by case, analyzing what is prompting hotels to apply for boreholes permits.
However, Robert Kalumba KCCA deputy spokesperson told URN that Ministry of water cannot give permission to the hotel owners before consulting KCCA because by law it is the authority responsible for development within the city.
He says the ban on drilling of boreholes and use of underground water still stands to avoid the outbreak of diseases such as typhoid and cholera which still remains a big problem in city.
According to some of the hotel managers if allowed this will help them to cut the ever increasing costs of water they incur during their operations.
Samson Ombogo, the general manager of Fairways Hotel explained that the main objective of asking for borehole permits is to cut costs on water used for gardening.
He says the hotel occupies 4 acres of land and has big gardens which require a lot of water to keep the environment green and to avoid plants from drying because using water from National Water and Sewerage Corporation is expensive.
Ian Duncan, the general manager of Kampala Sheraton Hotel said it is not about Kampala water being very expensive but sometimes it is not reliable and therefore they need standby boreholes in their premises.
He admitted that there are periods where the national water agency has supplies little water but also wondered whether the hotels want to cut costs since they use a lot of water.
According to reports from the Ministry of water and environment it is not only the two that have applied to drill boreholes; other hotels such as Africana, Imperial Royal have also applied.
But the commissioner water resources planning and regulations in the Ministry of water and environment, Dr. Callist Tindimugaya disclosed that it is not only hotels but the agency managing City Square now Constitutional Square and others in Kololo upscale residential area have also applied for permits to drill boreholes in their respective areas.
He said government was studying the proposals case by case, analyzing what is prompting hotels to apply for boreholes permits.
However, Robert Kalumba KCCA deputy spokesperson told URN that Ministry of water cannot give permission to the hotel owners before consulting KCCA because by law it is the authority responsible for development within the city.
He says the ban on drilling of boreholes and use of underground water still stands to avoid the outbreak of diseases such as typhoid and cholera which still remains a big problem in city.
