Water scarcity to end next week
Sep 26, 2007
THE inconsistent water supply in Kampala city and its suburbs will persist until next week, when repairs on the Ggaba III water plant are due to be completed.
By Chris Kiwawulo
THE inconsistent water supply in Kampala city and its suburbs will persist until next week, when repairs on the Ggaba III water plant are due to be completed.
The Kampala Water general manager, Eng. Harrison Mutikanga, said the water shortage was due to the ongoing repairs on the plant. “This is a new plant. We have been testing it for the last nine months. Various electro-mechanical defects were identified and they were being rectified,†he explained.
Mutikanga added that the German contractors, DYWIDAG International, are correcting the defects as part of their original contract, under which the plant was put up. The plant, with a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters per day, was built between October 2004 and December 2006.
The water shortage caused an uproar among city residents, who trek long distances in search of water from springs and wells. Some residents have to part with sh500 for a 20-litre jerrycan of water, up from the recommended sh50.
Kampala Water, a body that the National Water and Sewerage Corporation sub-contracted to supply safe water to about 500,000 urban people ,has so far connected slightly above 250,000 people.
The New Vision discovered that the shortage had also led to the temporary closure of some toilets in public offices in Kampala.
Early last week, the water shortage was caused by lack of power for the pumps.
Power to the plant was turned off last Monday between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Umeme’s corporate communications officer, Robert Kisubi, said.
“Adverts were aired on all major radio stations about the disconnection and the subsequent failure to pump water. That could be another reason why the city does not have water.â€
He noted that Ggaba had a special power line to enable the corporation pump water without interruptions, adding that the water shortage on Monday was a result of Umeme’s ongoing rehabilitation work on the power line.
Mutikanga clarified that the power problem had now been solved.
Ggaba III was put up to supplement Ggaba I and II. The two plants had a capacity of 72,000 and 80,000 cubic metres per day respectively.
THE inconsistent water supply in Kampala city and its suburbs will persist until next week, when repairs on the Ggaba III water plant are due to be completed.
The Kampala Water general manager, Eng. Harrison Mutikanga, said the water shortage was due to the ongoing repairs on the plant. “This is a new plant. We have been testing it for the last nine months. Various electro-mechanical defects were identified and they were being rectified,†he explained.
Mutikanga added that the German contractors, DYWIDAG International, are correcting the defects as part of their original contract, under which the plant was put up. The plant, with a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters per day, was built between October 2004 and December 2006.
The water shortage caused an uproar among city residents, who trek long distances in search of water from springs and wells. Some residents have to part with sh500 for a 20-litre jerrycan of water, up from the recommended sh50.
Kampala Water, a body that the National Water and Sewerage Corporation sub-contracted to supply safe water to about 500,000 urban people ,has so far connected slightly above 250,000 people.
The New Vision discovered that the shortage had also led to the temporary closure of some toilets in public offices in Kampala.
Early last week, the water shortage was caused by lack of power for the pumps.
Power to the plant was turned off last Monday between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Umeme’s corporate communications officer, Robert Kisubi, said.
“Adverts were aired on all major radio stations about the disconnection and the subsequent failure to pump water. That could be another reason why the city does not have water.â€
He noted that Ggaba had a special power line to enable the corporation pump water without interruptions, adding that the water shortage on Monday was a result of Umeme’s ongoing rehabilitation work on the power line.
Mutikanga clarified that the power problem had now been solved.
Ggaba III was put up to supplement Ggaba I and II. The two plants had a capacity of 72,000 and 80,000 cubic metres per day respectively.