NWSC wants Shs178b to boost water distribution
Minister of Water and Environment Sam Cheptoris, the AFD CEO Remy Rioux, and NWSC MD Mugisha touring Katosi water plant on Monday. PHOTO | JESSICA SABANO
What you need to know:
- The Minister for Water and Environment, Mr Sam Cheptoris, said water coverage across the country currently stands at 70 per cent.
The National water and sewerage corporation Managing Director Dr Silver Mugisha on Monday said they need 45 million Euros (Shs178 billion) additional funding to boost the water distribution exercise in the places of Kampala metropolitan.
Dr Mugisha revealed this as the French Development Agency (AFD) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Remy Rioux, paid a visit to the new water treatment plant of Katosi, a key symbol of France and Europe cooperation with Uganda’s development.
"We have solved the problem of water availability but we still have the problem of water distribution," Dr Mugisha said, adding that although they have committed some funds, there is still a financing gap.
Dr Mugisha also noted that there is a challenge of sanitation and if not dealt with, they shall continue to have lake Victoria polluted and people becoming sick.
According to Dr Mugisha, they [NWSC] have a corporate three-year plan, which gives them direction of where they are going, including improving the level of customer satisfaction.
"Connections for our customers is about 800, 000 now, eight years ago there were 300, 000 and in the next five years we want to grow to 1.2 million," he said.
The Minister for Water and Environment, Mr Sam Cheptoris, said water coverage across the country currently stands at 70 per cent.
"In urban areas 25 per cent are not drinking clean and safe water and in rural areas its 30 per cent," he said.
Mr Paolo Lombardo, the European Investment Bank Representative in East Africa (EIB), expressed their gratitude for the excellent cooperation between Uganda and international partners over the last decade, to enable the successful implementation of the Katosi project.
The water treatment facility has been under construction in the lakeside town of Katosi in Ntenjeru sub-county Mukono district since in 2019.
In 2011, government through NWSC began to make plans to construct a water treatment facility at Katosi, to augment the facility at Ggaba to meet the needs of the rapidly growing population of Kampala metropolitan area. This has been ongoing with support from French Development Agency and from European investment Bank.
Mr Remy Rioux promised in the project, which he said would be extended to other entities to ensure development in Uganda.
The French Development Agency-Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) is an international agency that promotes development in accordance with policy defined by the Government of France.
The Katosi water treatment plant has been completed and expected to pump 160,000 cubic meters (160 million litres) of water daily, expandable to 240,000 cubic meters (240 million liters) daily.
The Shs 608 billion water treatment plant is now operational and all the areas in the Kampala metropolitan that have had a problem of water will soon breathe a sight of relief.
From the plant, water is pumped to the new Nsumba reservoirs, which then supplies to Kampala via Mukono-Seeta-Sonde-Namugongo areas.
