Lake victoria: A major regional water management programme has turned its focus to the growing sanitation crisis around Lake Victoria, warning that untreated waste flowing from rapidly expanding lakeside cities is steadily degrading the lake's water quality.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Lake Victoria Basin - Integrated Water Resources Management Programme, being implemented by the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), seeks to reduce untreated effluent entering the lake while strengthening long-term management of water resources across the basin. Project coordinator Arsene Mukubwa said the programme is focusing on sanitation infrastructure in informal settlements, which remain a major source of pollution into the lake.

Mukubwa highlighted that water quality is becoming a serious issue in Lake Victoria due to increasing pressure from urban centres around the lake. Rapid urbanisation in cities such as Kisumu, Mwanza, and Kampala has led to large populations settling in unplanned neighborhoods' where sanitation systems are either inadequate or nonexistent. In many of these cities, more than 60 per cent of residents reside in informal settlements, leading to a significant amount of untreated waste entering the lake.

Lake Victoria supports more than 45 million people across the basin and produces about 1.1 million tonnes of fish annually, making it one of East Africa's most important economic resources. However, Mukubwa warned that the gap between water supply and sanitation coverage continues to worsen pollution levels. For instance, in Kisumu, water supply coverage stands at over 90 per cent, but sanitation coverage is estimated at only about 19 per cent.

To address the challenge, the programme is implementing sanitation projects in key cities surrounding the lake. In Kisumu's Manyatta A informal settlement, the project will construct 550 household sanitation blocks and facilities for four schools, benefiting an estimated 10,000 residents. Mukubwa noted that the project has already completed feasibility studies, engineering designs, and environmental impact assessments, and is now entering the procurement phase.

In Mwanza, Tanzania, the programme will invest about £13 million (approximately Sh1.9 billion) to extend sewer lines by about 15 kilometres and connect roughly 1,600 households to the sewer network. In Kampala, Uganda, efforts will focus on rehabilitating wastewater ponds and expanding sewer systems in the Nakivubo catchment to reduce the volume of untreated waste entering the lake. Meanwhile, Kigali, Rwanda, will benefit from the construction of a faecal sludge treatment plant to ensure waste collected from septic tanks is safely treated before disposal.

The programme is jointly funded by the German government through its Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union. Germany has committed £60 million to the initiative while the EU has contributed £8.9 million, bringing the total funding to about £68.9 million. The initiative also includes the development of a regional water information system to support evidence-based decision-making in water resource management.

Mukubwa emphasized that the platform will help governments monitor water quality, track pollution sources, and prioritize investments across the basin. The system will assist in determining where interventions are most needed and how to address emerging challenges. The LVBC has also produced its first State of the Basin report documenting the environmental status of Lake Victoria and providing a baseline for monitoring progress in future years.

Safeguarding the lake will also require behavioural change among communities, particularly in the management of solid waste that often clogs drainage and sewer systems. Through the programme, the commission is working with local governments and communities to promote hygiene awareness and responsible waste disposal through public campaigns, including radio programmes and social media outreach. Mukubwa stressed that protecting Lake Victoria requires collective action from all the countries and communities that depend on it.