Environmental Sustainability and Rural Pastoring

While pastoral training in biblical interpretation is the central focus of Nexus Seminary, training pastors to support the well-being of their congregations beyond their spiritual needs, including their health and well-being is an important part of Friends of Nexus Seminary.

Poor water quality is a common problem, especially in the rural areas of Uganda served by Nexus Seminary – Uganda. Less than 10% of rural Ugandans have ready access to safe drinking water. Friends of Nexus Seminary is helping address this through its support of water well development and maintenance (see, for example, the June 2025 blog on wells for the Rakai District).

Disposal of household wastewater from bathing and washing (known as “grey water”) is another area of concern for both health reasons and for stewardship of God’s creation. Recycling or reuse of household grey water can reduce household water demand by XX percent. This is particularly important in the more arid regions of Uganda and during the semiannual dry seasons. However, grey water must be treated to remove bacteria and harmful nutrients before it can be reused.

During our mission trip in the spring of 2026, we built a demonstration greywater treatment system for Pastor Michael in the Kaberamaido District. Using a pre-filter and a constructed wetland, Pastor Michael and his family will grow feed for their goats and water to irrigate their gardens, saving precious well water for drinking.

The treatment system was built using relatively low-cost materials. Water from the bathing area, which previously ponded on the ground, is carried to a pre-filter, which traps hair, oils and greases (from cooking wash water) using wood chips or dried grasses which can then be used for compost or animal feed (from insects that are attracted to the trapped food material). The pre-filtered water then passes into the constructed wetland, which consists of a layer of gravel to spread the water across the surface of the wetland, a thicker layer of fine sand, which acts as a physical filter for bacteria and other pathogens, and a bottom layer of gravel to collect the filtered water into a holding well. Wetland plants like papyrus or elephant grass are planted in the constructed wetland. These plants use the nutrients in the grey water for growth, and also can take up more toxic chemicals that may be in the water.

Constructed wetland greywater treatment systems can remove over 90% of bacteria and large proportions of nitrogen and phosphorus. The treated water can be used for irrigation. As a bonus, elephant grass is high in protein and can be harvested as feed-stock for goats or cattle.

Use of constructed wetlands puts into practice the Godly principle of wasting nothing and harvesting the abundance of God’s creation.

You can join this and other work through your support of Friends of Nexus Seminary.