KAMPALA – The Government has launched a Shs694 billion (€145 million) water and sanitation project aimed at improving access to safe and reliable water for more than one million people in fast-growing communities in Wakiso and Mpigi districts.
The Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project, being implemented through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), will draw water from Lake Victoria at Bwerenga to serve Kyengera, Nsangi, Kajjansi, Kasanje, Kiringente, Wakiso Town Council and Mpigi Town Council, among other areas.
The project will also cover communities along the Entebbe Road corridor and areas between Entebbe, Masaka and Mityana roads, including approximately 160,000 people living in informal settlements.
The launch follows NWSC’s signing of a consultancy contract worth approximately Shs47.5 billion with a joint venture comprising Danish firm NIRAS A/S and German engineering company Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG, alongside Ugandan sub-consultants M&E Associates Ltd and Alliance Consultants Ltd.
The consultants will undertake detailed designs, prepare tender documents and supervise the construction works.
NWSC Managing Director Dr Silver Mugisha said the project would address longstanding water supply challenges in communities that have experienced intermittent supply due to increasing demand and limitations in the existing distribution network.
“Upon completion, the project is expected to provide over 1 million people with uninterrupted access to safe, reliable drinking water,” Mugisha said.
The investment comes amid growing pressure on Kampala’s water infrastructure, particularly in the western and southern suburbs, where rapid urbanisation has outpaced the capacity of existing supply systems.
Kampala’s major water treatment plants at Ggaba and Katosi are located on the eastern side of the city, requiring water to travel long distances through the distribution network to reach rapidly expanding communities in Wakiso and neighbouring areas.
Consequently, residents in parts of Kyengera, Mutundwe, Lubowa, Buziga and Munyonyo have experienced intermittent supply, with some households resorting to purchasing water from alternative sources.
In August, residents of Kyengera told NTV Uganda that they were spending between Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 on a jerrycan of water from wells.
The 2024 National Population and Housing Census put the combined population of Kampala and Wakiso at more than 5.2 million, reflecting the growing demand for essential services in the metropolitan area.
Under the Wakiso West project, the proposed Bwerenga water treatment plant will have a treatment capacity of 62.5 million litres per day, while its intake infrastructure will be capable of drawing up to 200 million litres daily.
The system will include 94.2 kilometres of transmission pipelines and 78.5 kilometres of secondary pipelines connecting five reservoirs at Kaga, Nsangi, Nanziga, Mpigi and Bukasa.
The reservoirs will have a combined storage capacity exceeding 15.25 million litres.
Four pumping stations will also be constructed at Buloba, Katende, Maya and Ssekiwunga, while the distribution network will cover approximately 4,300 hectares.
A major component of the project will focus on extending affordable water services to underserved communities.
NWSC plans to install 941 community water dispensers and yard taps fitted with electronic prepaid meters in informal settlements across several parishes, including Kimbejja, Katereke, Kisozi/Kitemu, Nsangi, Kasenge, Kikajjo, Bweya, Kitende, Namulanda, Nkungulutale, Kafumu, Kikonkoma, Lwanga, Bumoozi, Kakoola, Kavule, Maziba, Ssisa and Wamala.
“Recognising the importance of inclusive access to essential services, the project will establish 941 community water dispensers in informal settlements,” Mugisha said.
“These interventions are intended to make safe water more accessible and affordable, particularly for underserved communities.”
Beyond water supply, the project will incorporate sanitation infrastructure, including a faecal sludge treatment plant along Ssekiwunga Road in Kajjansi, with the capacity to process at least 400,000 litres daily.
The facility is expected to address improper disposal of faecal sludge, reduce contamination of surface and groundwater resources and minimise public health risks associated with inadequate sanitation.
The project will also incorporate solar energy infrastructure, with installations expected to generate at least 2,945 kilowatts at selected sites.
The Wakiso West investment forms part of broader government efforts, through NWSC, to address water supply constraints in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Among the major ongoing interventions is the expansion of the Katosi Water Treatment Plant, which was commissioned in December 2022 with an installed capacity of 160 million litres per day.
However, the plant currently operates at approximately half its capacity due to limitations in the distribution network. Plans are underway to increase its capacity to 240 million litres daily, following additional French financing approved in December 2025.
NWSC is also implementing Package 2B, which commenced in February 2025 and is expected to be completed in July 2027.
The project involves laying approximately 70 kilometres of large-diameter pipelines and constructing reservoirs at Kanyanya, Kabulengwa and Mutungo.
It is expected to improve water supply for approximately one million additional people in Kira, Kasangati, Gayaza, Kawempe, Nansana, Matugga and parts of Wakiso.
Additional bulk water supply infrastructure is also planned to extend services to Namugongo, Bulindo, Mulawa, Kasangati and the Lubowa-Kigo corridor.
Meanwhile, NWSC has installed approximately 1,400 prepaid public standpipes and 64 sanitation facilities in informal settlements across the metropolitan area, benefiting an estimated 450,000 residents.
Nationally, the corporation serves approximately 22 million people through more than one million water connections across 287 towns, compared to just 23 towns in 2013.
Its 2025–2030 strategic plan targets expanding coverage to 26 million people by 2030.
The Wakiso West consultancy will be implemented in two phases.
The first phase, valued at approximately Shs20 billion and fully funded through an Impact Fund Denmark grant, will cover detailed engineering designs and preparation of tender documents. It is expected to take 20 months, with the construction contract scheduled for signing in the 19th month.
The second phase, valued at approximately Shs27.6 billion, will cover supervision of 30 months of construction and a subsequent 12-month defects liability period. It will be financed through a concessional loan incorporating a 50 per cent grant component.
Mugisha said the investment demonstrated the government’s commitment to expanding access to essential services, improving public health and supporting sustainable urban development.
“Through this investment, NWSC continues to support the Government of Uganda’s efforts to expand access to essential water and sanitation services, protect public health and promote sustainable development,” he said.
The post Govt Launches Shs694b Water Project to Supply Over 1 Million People in Wakiso, Mpigi appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.