The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The current persistent water supply crisis for residents living East of Kampala city is now projected to end in 2020 when a new treatment plant will be switched-on in Katosi in Mukono district.
The facility being built at 326.2 Billion Shillings will serve areas in Mukono, Wakiso and Kampala city facing erratic water supply deficit of up to 60 million litres daily. They are inadequately served by Gaba Waterworks for being in its shadow.
Sam Apedel, the Spokesperson of National Water and Sewerage Corporation says the deficit will be momentarily cured when installation of giant water pumps are completed in Katosi, for residents living East of Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso.
Apedel says the waterworks that will also draw raw water from Lake Victoria will deliver additional 240 Million litres to the current daily average 240 Million litres pumped from Gaba Pumping station. He says this supply is grossly inadequate at peak demands during dry season when residents of Mukono, Wakiso and Kampala require 300 Million litres a day.
Apedel says with 400 Million Litres a day, National Water and Sewerage Corporation will fully meet the daily demands of Kampala, Mukono and Wakiso districts up to 2040 without major crisis being experienced.
Currently, most residents living in the heart of Kampala enjoy 24 hours of water supply while those in the outskirts get just eight hours of supply. The Corporation says stabilizing supply will result in increased availability of water for informal urban dwellers in Kawempe, Kamwokya, Kalerwe and other parts of Kampala.
Apedel says National Water and Sewerage Corporation is building a large water reservoir on Nsonde in Mukono district and Nsumba Hill to link the Katosi treatment plant with consumers in Namugongo and Naguru townships.
Data from Kampala water indicate that annual demands for new connections has been growing by an average of 3,000 applications every month, making it a moving target that is difficult to hit or adequately satisfy.
As the 1.5 Meter diameter supply pipeline approach Kampala city from Bukeerere in Mukono district, residents in affected areas of Kalerwe, Kampala, Kamwokya, Naguru and parts of Mukono and Wakiso will keep grappling with erratic supply and the problem of pipeline contamination.
Apedel says National Water is complementing Kampala water supply with installation of 1,000 public pro-poor taps in Kampala managed by private agents in a project which commenced last year.
According to Apedel, National Water and Sewerage Corporation will develop bridging production wells in Lubowa, Kawempe, Kawanda, Nsonde, Kiira and Matugga among others.
National Water and Sewerage Corporation says reaching all areas with water has been slow and difficult process because of the poor urban planning of most of the townships.
Unravelling Kampala water supply crisis has been slow and difficult due to poor urban planning as residents construct buildings on road reserves, the right of way for water pipelines, telecommunication facilities and security cameras.
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