NWSC Embarks On Kagera Water Project, Over 1M People In 40 Towns Targeted

By Henry Mulindwa

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has  heightened the water supply drive in the country, this time intensifying expansion to the South Western districts of Masaka, Mbarara and Isingiro.

Dubbed the ‘Development of Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in the South Western Towns Mbarara – Masaka Corridor’, the 4-phased project, is funded by the French Development Agency. According to NWSC director corporate affairs Samuel Apedel, the project is being operationalised by NWSC and the Ministry of Water and Environment. He says this is in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan (2011-2015), and will ensure water infrastructure development in the three districts. 

The estimated cost of the project is Euros 180 million, with Euros 120 million undertaken by the NWSC and Euros 60million undertaken by the Ministry of Water and Environment.

‘The project envisages transforming Ugandan society from a peasant society to a modern and prosperous country within thirty years. Among its strategic objectives in achieving this goal is increased access to social services and promoting sustainable use of the environment and natural resources,’ he said.

He said that the project has four packages. 

‘Package One’ will include the Kagera Water Works, involving the construction of a water supply system (intake and water treatment on River Kagera) and a main transmission pipe to Mbarara.

Among the scope of works under Package One is the construction of an 8m³/s capacity water intake for drinking water on river Kagera as well as water for production, and the construction of a water treatment plant with a capacity of 30,000 m³/day” he added.

Under Package 2, he said; will be the rehabilitation and improvement of the Mbarara water supply network, Water Treatment Plant and waste water treatment systems in the area.

“Package 3 will see the rehabilitation and improvement of the water supply network, Water Treatment Plant and wastewater treatment systems in Masaka, while the Isingiro Package 4; will include the water and sanitation project,aimed at increasing access to drinking water supply and sanitation across the rural Isingiro District” he said.

He said that NWSC estimates that under the three packages that will cover about 40 small towns in and around the three districts, 1, 055, 000 people will have access to clean water by 2030.

He said already, plans for commencement of works for the three packages are underway, with most of the project components expected to end by 2023.

NWSC recently embarked on the Katosi Water Project in which it intends to end water crisis in Kampala metropolitan areas. The Katosi project is expected to start operations by February next year and is going to drastically change the drinking water supply system capable of sustaining Kampala metropolitan area water users up to 2030. Another project being undertaken is that of Kapeeka which is going to increase water supply to several villages in the districts of Nakaseke, Kiboga and Mityana. NWSC Managing director Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha recently toured the project works and cautioned the residents against degrading river Mayanja on whose muscle the Kapeeka project relies.