Written By | BK Mugizi
On Tuesday, NWSC signed a consultancy contract worth approximately Shs47.5 billion (€9.48 million plus Shs2.15 billion, excluding taxes)
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KAMPALA
The Government of Uganda, through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), has launched a Shs694 billion (€145 million) project to supply water from Lake Victoria to more than one million people in the fast-growing areas south and west of Kampala, where many households currently receive water only on rationed days.
The Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project will draw water from the lake at Bwerenga to serve Kyengera, Nsangi, Kajjansi, Kasanje, Kiringente, Wakiso Town Council and Mpigi Town Council. It will also cover the Entebbe Road corridor and areas between Entebbe, Masaka and Mityana roads. About 160,000 of the beneficiaries live in informal settlements.
On Tuesday, NWSC signed a consultancy contract worth approximately Shs47.5 billion (€9.48 million plus Shs2.15 billion, excluding taxes). The contract was awarded to a joint venture comprising Danish firm NIRAS A/S and German engineering firm Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG, with Ugandan firms M&E Associates Ltd and Alliance Consultants Ltd serving as sub-consultants. The consultants will design the works, prepare tender documents and supervise construction.
"Upon completion, the project is expected to provide over one million people with uninterrupted access to safe, reliable drinking water," NWSC Managing Director Dr Silver Mugisha said.
The project addresses one of the most pressing gaps in the metropolitan area's water supply. Kampala's two main treatment plants, Ggaba and Katosi, are located on the eastern side of the city, meaning water must travel long distances through an ageing network to reach the western suburbs, which have expanded rapidly over the past two decades.
Areas served by the Ggaba system, including Kyengera, Mutundwe, Lubowa, Buziga and Munyonyo, have experienced intermittent water supply as demand has increased, with the most affected areas placed on rationing. In August, residents of Kyengera told our reporter that they were buying water from wells at between Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 per jerrycan.
The 2024 national census put the combined population of Kampala and Wakiso at more than 5.2 million, with Wakiso now the most populous district in the country.
"The demand for water in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Service Area is growing every day, and customers need answers," Dr Mugisha said in September.
The Bwerenga plant will treat 62.5 million litres of water daily, while its intake will have the capacity to draw up to 200 million litres per day. Water will be transported through 94.2 kilometres of transmission pipes and 78.5 kilometres of secondary pipes to five reservoirs at Kaga, Nsangi, Nanziga, Mpigi and Bukasa, with a combined storage capacity of more than 15.25 million litres.
Pumping stations will be constructed at Buloba, Katende, Maya and Ssekiwunga, while the distribution network will cover 4,300 hectares.
In informal settlements, 941 community water dispensers and yard taps fitted with electronic prepaid meters will be installed in the parishes of 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," Dr Mugisha said. "These interventions are intended to make safe water more accessible and affordable, particularly for underserved communities."
The project also includes a faecal sludge treatment plant along Ssekiwunga Road in Kajjansi, with the capacity to handle at least 400,000 litres per day. Solar panels with a combined generation capacity of at least 2,945 kilowatts will also be installed at selected sites.
"The facility will help address challenges associated with indiscriminate faecal sludge disposal, reduce the risk of contamination of surface and groundwater resources, and minimise public health risks arising from inadequate sanitation," Dr Mugisha said.
Wakiso West is one of several NWSC projects underway to bridge the water supply gap in the Greater Kampala area.
The Katosi plant, commissioned in December 2022 with a capacity of 160 million litres per day, currently operates at about half that level because the network cannot yet transport its full output. The plant is expected to be expanded to 240 million litres per day, following additional French financing approved in December 2025.
Package 2B, which has been under construction since February 2025 and is due for completion in July 2027, involves laying approximately 70 kilometres of large-diameter pipes and constructing reservoirs at Kanyanya, Kabulengwa and Mutungo. The project is expected to serve about one million additional people in Kira, Kasangati, Gayaza, Kawempe, Nansana, Matugga and parts of Wakiso.
A bulk supply line to Namugongo, Bulindo, Mulawa and Kasangati is expected to be completed by December 2026, while another bulk supply line from Ggaba to the Lubowa-Kigo corridor is planned.
In informal settlements across the metropolitan area, NWSC has already installed 1,400 prepaid public standpipes and 64 sanitation facilities, serving approximately 450,000 residents.
Countrywide, NWSC serves an estimated 22 million people through more than one million connections across 287 towns, up from 23 towns in 2013. Its 2025–2030 strategic plan targets reaching 26 million people by 2030.
The Wakiso West consultancy will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, worth approximately Shs20 billion and fully funded by an Impact Fund Denmark grant, covers detailed designs and the preparation of tender documents. It is expected to be completed within 20 months, with the works contract scheduled to be signed in the 19th month.
The second phase, worth approximately Shs27.6 billion, will cover the supervision of 30 months of construction and a 12-month defects liability period. It will be financed through a concessional loan with a 50 per cent grant component.
"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," Dr Mugisha said.
