MTN, NWSC partner to provide water to 30,000 households

COVID-19

KAMPALA - The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and MTN Uganda have joined hands to provide 100 public water points to supply water to water-stressed areas of Kampala during the Coronavirus (COVID19) outbreak.

The areas to benefit include water-stressed areas at the periphery of the network which currently receives intermittent supply or no water at all.

Each of the 100 spots will be supplied by a 10,000-litre capacity tank that will supply water at the official NWSC public tap tariff of sh25 per 20-liter jerry can.

Whereas Kampala Water is currently able to produce 240 million liters of water per day, peak demand is 300 million liters per day. To bridge this shortfall NWSC is currently undertaking the construction of a 240 million liter per day capacity water treatment plant in Katosi to the East of Kampala. The first phase to be completed in January 2021 will deliver 160 million liters of water per day.

MTN CEO Wim Vanhelleputte makes his remarks at the press conference

The partnership with MTN will provide short term relief to NWSC customers in water-stressed areas as NWSC undertakes the completion of the Katosi Water Treatment Plant.

MTN has provided sh220m towards the partnership. Under the partnership, the NWSC will procure the tanks, construct the water points and ensure that they are provided with water using water bowsers.

Over 30,000 households will benefit from this joint water supply intervention. The areas to benefit include Kyengera (Nagalabi-Kisozi), Wakiso-Kikoro, Mukono-Kasenge, Seeta (Kagala-Bukelele), Kyaliwajjala, Kijabijo, Kiteezi, Kiryagonja, (Bulindo-Kira-Nsasa-Kilyamuli), Matugga-Buwuzume, Bulenga-Ganda-Bulenga, Kyebando Central, Gayaza, Nateete, Upper Nalumunye, Nansana, Kireka-Kamuli, Wakiso-Ssenge, Nansana-Gganda, Namagoma, Mukono-Nakapinyi, Ndejje-Ggangu, and Najjanankumbi-Kitiko, among other areas

30,000 households in water-stressed areas are to benefit from this initiative

 
"We are grateful for this partnership with MTN Uganda during the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak where water is a critical input in the prevention of infection and spread of the virus. NWSC is committed to providing water for all during this sensitive period," reads a statement from NWSC.

Commenting on this initiative, the MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer - Wim Vanhelleputte, said this partnership alongside several others implemented in the effort to fight COVID-19, are a demonstration of the brand's commitment to supporting Ugandans in our hour of need.

"MTN believes that the resilience of communities is strongest when people work together. That is why MTN, working through institutions like NWSC, is supporting the delivery of much-needed water to underserved areas in the fight to avert a COVID-19 pandemic in the country," said Vanhelleputte.