Uganda to install water mains extensions

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) in Uganda plans to install around 640km of water mains extensions throughout the country in the next year.

Uganda Water Minister Ephraim Kamuntu said in a letter to President Yoweri Museveni that the NWSC will also undertake another 960km of mains extensions in the subsequent three years up to June 2018.

The installations will be subject to the payment of outstanding government arrears amounting to UGX40bn ($15.3m). According to Kamuntu, the government is ready to pay the arrears now that the NWSC has committed to improving the water supply.

The organisation will also restore water schemes started since July 2013 to improve water supply in 64 towns. Previous installations had allowed it to extend its operations from 27 towns a year ago to 66 towns currently.

NWSC managing director Silver Mugisha said that the expansion is in line with the corporation’s objective of 100% service coverage by 2018.

The corporation has already started working on six-month infrastructure service delivery plans to December. These will cover around 50km of water mains extended in the Kampala Water Supply Area.