By Apollo Mubiru
and Conan Busingye

AN emergency meeting was held at the Kampala City Council yesterday following a New Vision report that Kampala tap water is contaminated with faecal coliforms, a germ that causes cholera and dysentery.

The meeting, chaired by deputy mayor Florence Namayanja, was attended by the director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Dr. William Muhairwe, and officials of the health ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

They resolved that a joint team of KCC, the ministry of health and WHO would test the Kampala water and come up with a conclusive report.

During the meeting, Muhairwe insisted that Kampala water was safe for human consumption. He, however, said he could not rule out the possibility that Kawempe water was contaminated following the heavy rains that caused floods. The deputy mayor said the report, which was quoted, was not conclusive.

The New Vision on Thursday obtained the results of tests done on tap water in Kawempe division. It showed high colonies of faecal coliforms in samples taken from Bwaise II, Mulago II and Kyebando parishes. It also showed turbidity levels 40 times higher than the accepted limit in Mulago and Kyebando.

The report, sent to KCC on August 2, was signed by David Ssemwanga, the Kawempe division health inspector.

After the meeting, the joint team, led by WHO advisor for community water and sanitation, Collins Mwesigye, visited all the five divisions of Kampala to take water samples, starting with Kawempe.
Yesterday Muhairwe was summoned by Police chief, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, over the matter.

“The Inspector General of Police has this morning summoned me over this matter. He was asking whether to use the tap water to wash his hands or not,” Muhairwe revealed. “He wants us to tell the public today whether our water is safe on not. I have no problem with the public knowing the truth.”