The Government of Uganda has launched a Shs694 billion water and sanitation project aimed at improving access to clean and reliable water for more than one million people in Wakiso, Mpigi and surrounding areas of Greater Kampala.

The Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project, implemented through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), will draw water from Lake Victoria at Bwerenga to serve several rapidly growing communities that have struggled with intermittent water supply.

The project will benefit residents in Kyengera, Nsangi, Kajjansi, Kasanje, Kiringente, Wakiso Town Council and Mpigi Town Council. It will also cover communities along the Entebbe Road corridor and areas between the Entebbe, Masaka and Mityana roads.

According to NWSC, approximately 160,000 of the expected beneficiaries live in informal settlements, where access to affordable and safe drinking water remains a major challenge.

The latest development follows the signing of a consultancy contract worth approximately Shs47.5 billion. The contract was awarded to a joint venture comprising Danish engineering firm NIRAS A/S and German firm Fichtner GmbH & Co. KG, with Ugandan companies M&E Associates Ltd and Alliance Consultants Ltd serving as sub-consultants.

The consultants will be responsible for designing the project, preparing tender documents and supervising construction works.

NWSC Managing Director Dr Silver Mugisha said the project is expected to transform water access in the targeted communities once completed.

"Upon completion, the project is expected to provide over 1 million people with uninterrupted access to safe, reliable drinking water," Mugisha said.

The project comes at a time when demand for water in Greater Kampala continues to increase due to rapid population growth and urban expansion.

Kampala's main water treatment facilities at Ggaba and Katosi are located on the eastern side of the city. Supplying the expanding western suburbs through the existing network requires water to travel long distances, putting additional pressure on infrastructure.

Communities such as Kyengera, Mutundwe, Lubowa, Buziga and Munyonyo have experienced intermittent water supply as demand has increased. Some residents have consequently resorted to purchasing water from alternative sources.

In August, residents of Kyengera told reporters that they were buying water from wells at between Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 per jerrycan.

The 2024 national census placed the combined population of Kampala and Wakiso at more than 5.2 million, with Wakiso emerging as Uganda's most populous district.

Mugisha previously highlighted the growing pressure on the water supply system, saying demand in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Service Area was increasing daily and customers needed answers.

Under the Wakiso West project, a new water treatment plant will be established at Bwerenga with a treatment capacity of 62.5 million litres per day. Its water intake infrastructure will have the capacity to draw up to 200 million litres daily from Lake Victoria.

The project will involve the construction of 94.2 kilometres of transmission pipelines and 78.5 kilometres of secondary pipelines to transport water to different communities.

Five reservoirs will be constructed at Kaga, Nsangi, Nanziga, Mpigi and Bukasa, with a combined storage capacity exceeding 15.25 million litres.

Additional infrastructure will include pumping stations at Buloba, Katende, Maya and Ssekiwunga. The water distribution network is expected to cover approximately 4,300 hectares.

To improve access in underserved communities, NWSC will install 941 community water dispensers and yard taps fitted with electronic prepaid meters in informal settlements.

The facilities will serve parishes including Kimbejja, Katereke, Kisozi/Kitemu, Nsangi, Kasenge, Kikajjo, Bweya, Kitende, Namulanda, Nkungulutale, Kafumu, Kikonkoma, Lwanga, Bumoozi, Kakoola, Kavule, Maziba, Ssisa and Wamala.

Mugisha said the interventions were designed to promote inclusive access to essential services by making clean water more accessible and affordable, particularly for low-income and underserved communities.

Beyond water supply, the project will also address sanitation challenges through the construction of a faecal sludge treatment plant along Ssekiwunga Road in Kajjansi.

The facility will have the capacity to treat at least 400,000 litres of faecal sludge daily. It is intended to reduce indiscriminate disposal of faecal waste, protect surface and groundwater resources from contamination and minimise public health risks associated with inadequate sanitation.

The project will also incorporate renewable energy, with solar installations expected to generate at least 2,945 kilowatts at selected sites.

Once implemented, the Wakiso West Water and Sanitation Project is expected to strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure while improving access to essential services in some of the fastest-growing communities around Kampala.