Chairpersons and other officials of some 35 Water Management Committees, WMCs, in Bui Division of the Northwest Region, have been drilled on ways of managing their various water schemes.

The members of the various Committees were also schooled on the current trends of hygiene and sanitation in a seminar dubbed “Kumbo Water Platform,” that took place on November 27.

Resource persons included the Divisional Delegates of Energy and Water Resource, Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development and authorities of the Kumbo Water Authority, KWA.

In a paper tilted; Water Resource Management-Shortages due to Climate Change and Human Activities, the Delegate of Energy and Water Resources, Stanislaus Fontar Birnsai, quoting Law No 98/005 of 14 August 1998, said water is a State property, reason why the State has the right to protect and ensure its management and accessibility to all citizens. He said the same law punishes anyone who violates a water catchment, a storage tank, a treatment station or a water point.

According to the Delegate, providing water of poor quality to the public and changing the colour of water, amongst other things, is tantamount to violation of the law. He explained that due to climate change and other human activities, water sheds and catchments are being affected, leading to water sources drying up.

The Delegate recommended the identification, demarcation and monitoring of water sheds, demarcation and protection of water catchments and rationing where there are water shortages. He also recommended building synergies and capacities of water management committees, carrying out water test analysis and adopting and regularising the Global Initiative ‘WASH’, which would go a long way to help in the management and supply of quality water and improve on hygiene and sanitation.

The Manager of KWA, Shey Justin Shiyntum, expounded on the need to treat water and manual chlorination as a choice for water treatment. He said all water sources contain micro-organisms that could cause illnesses, reason why treatment is necessary.

The Mayor of Kumbo, Donatus Njong Fonyuy, said the working session was important as it dealt with water which is life. He said the life of the population in the Council area was in the hands of the WMCs.

Mayor Njong lauded the WMCs Chairpersons for their hard work in maintaining, improving and sustaining their various water schemes.

At the close of the seminar, it was resolved that WMCs should generate funds, which are public finances and should be accounted for, through a transparent management style. Planting of water-friendly trees water sheds and catchments was also recommended. Disputes between water schemes should be settled amicably through the Council and administration and not the law courts.

That the ‘WASH’ initiative be introduced in communities and strictly implemented, amongst others. This, it was agreed, would go a long way to reduce the effects of water related ailments such as cholera and the current Ebola threat.