The construction of a pipe water system worth sh12b at Namasale town council in Amolatar district, which is expected to provide access to safe and clean water and sanitation, has kicked off.

The project is expected to supply clean drinking water to 20 villages, including public institutions, according to District Woman MP Dr Agnes Atim Apea. She made the revelations during the site handover ceremony on Tuesday.

Three institutions: Namasale Market, Namasale Primary School, and Namasale Seed Secondary School, according to LC3 chairperson Geoffrey Ayela are the beneficiaries.

The project, which is being bankrolled by the World Bank, is expected to run for 15 months and the construction works are being undertaken by M/S Royal Techno Industries Ltd in a joint venture with Velko Infratek.

Dr Apea said they will establish a water treatment plant, water reservoir, 13-stance waterborne public toilets, electro-mechanical works, and six stance line VIP institutional toilets for boys and six for girls at Namasale PS.

Source protection measures, tree planting, and demarcation of the Lake Kyoga buffer zone with concrete pillars will also be undertaken, according to Apea.

She added that Amolatar is the most water-stressed district in the country and has the highest number of bilharzia cases as a result of drinking contaminated water from the lake.

She added that 60% of the population in the district fetch water for domestic use from Lake Kyoga because of the lack of a clean water source.

Apea also lauded the Government for the project saying it’s a big achievement for the National Resistance Movement party government and has come at the right time.