The National Water and Sewerage Corporation, the Uganda water utility company, is to construct four sewage treatment plants in Kampala city and its suburbs.
The plants to be set up in the city suburbs of Nakivubo, Kinawataka, Lubigi and Nalukolongo, are expected to improve sanitation services from the current 7% of the city’s population to 30%. The city currently has only one sewage treatment plant.
NWSC’s Managing Director, Dr William Muhairwe said at a press conference in Kampala recently the project will be financed by the European Union, African Development Bank and Uganda Government at Euro 68 million.
“The project aims at improving environmental sustainability of Lake Victoria basin by reducing pollution entering the lake and improving the quality of lives of residents in informal settlements through management of sludge from domestic sanitation facilities,” Dr Muhairwe said.
“The plan is to have 100% sewer coverage in the central business district of Kampala”. Uganda is said to be one of the least sewered countries in the world. According to the work plan, the works will involve construction of a new sewerage treatment plant with a capacity of 45,000 cubic metres per day that will treat both sewage and waste discharge in Nakivubo channel, construction of a central treatment facility for toxic effluent from small scale industries dealing in toxic chemicals.
Dr Muhairwe, however, said that the works are being hampered by encroachers that are settling in the catchment areas where the project is supposed to cover. Kampala City Council (KCC) Mayor Nasser Sebaggala, refuted allegations that KCC had given out land meant for the project to developers.
He blamed the Uganda Land Commission for giving out land without KCC’s consent. “It is not KCC that is giving out the land,” Sebaggala said. The project will entail undertaking a sewerage management and an industrial effluent study, rehabilitation of the current sewage treatment plant at Bugolobi to improve its performance.
Source: Joseph Olanyo, East African Business Week / allAfrica.com, 16 August 2010
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