No running water after key water tanks run dry

By Francis Emorut                                                   

KAMPALA - Two water tanks of a capacity of 550,000 liters stationed on the hill of Namasuba in Kampala have remained empty for some time now, leaving the area residents and in neighboring places without running water.

The tanks, which are about 10km away from the main water treatment plant in Ggaba, are empty because of an old water network system in place, according to a NWSC official.

Engineer Johnson Amayo, the head of project and planning at National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), says the two tanks which are supposed to act as reservoirs can no longer function.

He says they can only get back to working if a new water pump booster system is connected to the tanks.

The now-dry tanks used to get water from Muyenga tank hill but that is no more and a high demand of water in the city does not make the situation any better.

“Water produced is not enough to meet the rapidly growing population in the city,” said Abayo.

He was briefing a delegation of ambassadors and the minister of water and environment Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu who visited the reservoirs at Namasuba.

true
A view of the earmarked area water pipes are supposed to pass through in order to connect to the new reservoirs on Namasuba hill. PHOTO/Francis Emorut

true
One of the tanks that is empty. It can hold a capacity of 270,000 liters. PHOTO/Francis Emorut

true
NWSC's project planner Eng. Johnson Abayo (left) explains to the water minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu (2nd-right), NWSC's managing director Dr. Silver Mugisha (right) and the German ambassador to Uganda Klaus Dieter Duxmann. PHOTO/Francis Emorut

The NWSC project leader said the problem can only be rectified through the new project dubbed refurbishing and optimization of Ggaba water works.

The project is being funded by Government jointly with European development banks.

The banks include European Investment Bank, French Development Agency, German Development and the EU African Infrastructure Fund for the implementation of the Kampala Water Lake Victoria Watsan Project.

The venture, funded to a tune of Euro 212m (about sh737b), is aimed at improving the water supply and sanitation in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan area.

It will be executed by National Water & Sewerage Corporation on behalf of Government.

Dr. Silver Mugisha the corporation’s managing director said the project will be completed in 18 months.

The project will involve; upgrading of raw water pumping, construction of new distribution chambers, improvement of pre-treatment, optimization of chemical usage and construction of the two concrete reservoirs of total capacity eight million liters at Namasuba hill, among others.