NWSC is seeking an additional Euro 45 million to complete the establishment of water distribution lines connecting to the water reservoirs of the Katosi water project.
The government constructed the Katosi water project in Mukono district worth Euro 81.9 million with reservoirs at Nsumba and Sonde hills as well as booster pumps at Namugongo and Naguru. Sogea-Satom, which executed the project, handed it over to NWSC last year.
The NWSC Managing Director, Eng. Silver Mugisha revealed on Monday that water is ready for use but they are still constrained by a lack of funds to connect it to distant areas.
The corporation targets to distribute water to Lugazi municipality and several parts of Kampala and Wakiso district.
Eng. Badru Kiggundu, the NWSC Board Chairperson says that they have expressed their concern before the government so as to mitigate the challenge of water shortage in the Kampala Metropolitan area and later other parts of the country.
Statistics at NWSC indicate that 75 percent of the population in urban areas is connected to the national water grid and another 70 percent in rural areas. The State Minister for Water and Environment, Sam Cheptoris has advised the corporation to create a strong income base to assist in establishing more schemes.
Cheptoris has promised to work with the development partners to secure the required money to expedite the water distribution.
On Monday, a delegation comprising the French and German Ambassadors, the Director-General of the French Development Agency and the Regional Representative for the European Investment Bank toured the Katosi water treatment plant.
The German Ambassador, Matthias Schauer and his French counterpart, Jules Armand Aniambossou commended the government for the initiative aimed at solving water scarcity for the future generation.
Katosi plant is able to generate 160,000m3 per water per day using SCADA technology. The project comprises modern laboratories for enhancing water quality monitoring, a solid waste handling plant, a wastewater treatment plant and a staff housing estate.
URN