The Government of Uganda has launched a Shs694 billion water and sanitation project designed to deliver reliable drinking water to over one million people across Wakiso, Mpigi, Kampala, and Entebbe, tackling chronic supply shortages that have forced residents to pay steep prices to private vendors.
The Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project, implemented through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), aims to slash domestic water costs by up to 90 percent. Families in areas such as Kyengera, Nsangi, Kajjansi, Kasanje, Kiringente, Wakiso Town Council, and Mpigi Town Council have long relied on rationed supplies and private vendors. Mary Nansubuga, a resident of Kajjansi, described the daily financial pressure local families face to secure basic water supplies.
We cannot do without water because we need it every day for cooking, washing clothes, cleaning and other household activities,
Mary Nansubuga, resident of Kajjansi
Without piped connections, residents in underserved neighborhoods frequently purchase water from private sellers at Shs1,000 to Shs2,000 per jerrycan. NWSC Managing Director Dr. Silver Mugisha stated that the intervention will directly ease this economic strain.
In areas without piped water, a jerrycan can cost more than Shs1,000. Once this project is implemented, the price of a jerrycan of water for domestic consumers could fall to a maximum of about Shs100,
Dr Silver Mugisha, NWSC Managing Director
Engineering Lake Victoria Water to Western Suburbs
The capital’s existing treatment facilities at Ggaba and Katosi sit on the eastern edge of the city, requiring treated water to travel vast distances through aging mains to reach rapidly expanding western suburbs. The 2024 National Population and Housing Census placed the combined population of Kampala and Wakiso above 5.2 million, with Wakiso standing as the nation’s most populous district. While NWSC previously diverted portions of the Ggaba system to supply the south-western corridor, management noted those steps offered only temporary relief.
That may address the immediate challenges, but in the long term, this project is very important in reinforcing water supply in that area, particularly along the corridor towards Entebbe. Other measures, such as repurposing the Ggaba service area, may solve the problem to a certain extent, but they will probably not address the challenges in Mpigi and Entebbe,
Dr Silver Mugisha, NWSC Managing Director
To establish a permanent solution, the Bwerenga project will draw raw water from Lake Victoria at Ggerenge. The plant will feature an initial treatment capacity of 62.5 million litres daily, backed by raw intake infrastructure designed to handle up to 200 million litres per day for future expansion. Treated water will move through 94.2 kilometres of transmission pipelines and 78.5 kilometres of secondary pipelines to five major reservoirs located at Kaga, Nsangi, Nanziga, Mpigi, and Bukasa, possessing a combined storage capacity exceeding 15.25 million litres. Additional pumping stations will operate at Buloba, Katende, Maya, and Ssekiwunga across a 4,300-hectare service area.
Firms Secure Consultancy Contracts for Project Financing
To kickstart the €145 million undertaking, NWSC signed a consultancy contract valued at approximately Shs47.5 billion, comprising €9.48 million and Shs2.15 billion excluding taxes. The assignment went to a joint venture combining Danish firm NIRAS A/S and German engineering firm Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG, with Ugandan firms M&E Associates Ltd and Alliance Consultants Ltd acting as sub-consultants to design the works, prepare tender documents, and supervise construction.
Construction financing is anchored by Impact Fund Denmark (IFDK), structured under a 50 percent grant and 50 percent concessional loan. Phase one involves a Shs20 billion investment funded by Impact Fund Denmark, while phase two utilizes a Shs27.6 billion concessional loan.
Project Installs Prepaid Dispensers in Informal Settlements
The project incorporates targeted measures for approximately 160,000 residents living in low-income informal settlements across 19 parishes. NWSC will install 941 community water dispensers and yard taps fitted with electronic prepaid meters in areas such as Kimbejja, Katereke, Kisozi/Kitemu, Nsangi, Kasenge, Kikajjo, Bweya, Kitende, Namulanda, Nkungulutale, Kafumu, Kikonkoma, Lwanga, Bumoozi, Kakoola, Kavule, Maziba, Ssisa, and Wamala.
Recognising the importance of inclusive access to essential services, the project will establish 941 community water dispensers in informal settlements,
Dr Silver Mugisha, NWSC Managing Director
In addition to clean water distribution, the initiative addresses regional sanitation by constructing a decentralized faecal sludge treatment plant along Ssekiwunga Road in Kajjansi. The facility will handle at least 400,000 litres of faecal sludge daily to mitigate environmental contamination of surface and groundwater resources. Operational sites will also integrate 2,945 kilowatts of solar power installations.
The Wakiso West undertaking operates within NWSC’s broader 2025–2030 strategic master plan, which targets an expansion of national service coverage from 22 million people across 287 towns to 26 million consumers by 2030.