“Amaadhi ti gamala (Water is hardly enough)”, are the cries of the people in Kamuli who went on to lament about getting used to the fact that safe tap water is clearly not for them as they were left with the choice of relying on the nearby unprotected springs and shallow wells as their only source of water. As such, water borne diseases are a common occurrence in this part of the country. This is the story of Mr. Mpakibi and majority others residing in the areas of Buwaisa, Namisambya, Butabala, and Bunagwe, all in Kamuli Municipality.
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has therefore stepped up efforts to improve water supply reliability in Kamuli Municipality and the surrounding areas, starting with the Water Treatment Plant modification and upgrade.
Handed over to NWSC in 2016, the Kamuli WTP was designed to treat 500,000 litres of water per day but the daily demand in Kamuli Municipality and the surrounding areas has however since grown to the current 1.5million litres, as a result of NWSC expanding the water supply network and coverage over the last 5 years. As such, water supply in Kamuli is intermittent with rationing as the option to see to all connected households getting some water which sadly leaves them without water for more than a couple of days.
To address these challenges, the NWSC Kamuli Area, supported by the Central Regional Office, has embarked on a Short-term Project to address the constrictions within the Water Treatment Plant. The three (03) months intervention will see the WTP modified and upgraded through; Conversion of the existing slow sand filters into rapid gravity sand filters, upgrading of pipe conveyance system within the WTP, introduction of clarification as the first Treatment process in the WTP and, upgrading of raw water pumps at the catchment dam (Namalemba).
Pursuant to this, the Central Regional Office, represented by Principal Eng. Christopher Mwandha and Senior PR – Central Region, Ms. Cream Treasure Ninsiima, in the company of the NWSC Kamuli Area Management Team, presided over the commencement of the construction works whose initial activities will entail; Construction of Dwarf walls to support the water channel to the clarifiers, construction of concrete partition wall to create two separate gravity sand filters and, once these activities are completed, the associated pipework shall commence.
While flagging off the interventions, the Area Manager, Mr. Dennis Etonu together with Area Eng. Emmanuel Okello confirmed that all the necessary materials have already been received and the works will be executed in the shortest possible time. They thanked NWSC Top Management for the timely intervention and the Regional Office for the technical support and guidance.
Upon completion of the works, the daily water production is anticipated to improve to about 900,000 litres, reducing on the supply downtime, as NWSC plans a long-term intervention for Kamuli.
NWSC is committed to Water for All.
