Over 400,000 to Benefit From Shs150bn Water Project Deal in Masaka

According to NWSC, the project will involve constructing a new intake and water treatment plant at Bukakata on Lake Victoria.

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has signed a contract for the construction of a new water treatment plant and distribution infrastructure in Bukakata, Masaka, a project expected to benefit up to 400,000 people in the Greater Masaka region.

The agreement, signed today between NWSC and the French contractor SOGEA SATOM, paves the way for a plant that will supply 14 million liters of drinking water per day.

The project, funded by the Government of Uganda and the French Development Agency (AfD) at a cost of €47,095,858, is scheduled to commence on March 1, 2025, and be completed by February 28, 2027.

According to NWSC, the project will involve constructing a new intake and water treatment plant at Bukakata on Lake Victoria.

It will also include laying 38 kilometers of transmission pipelines and building a water storage tank at Kako Hill. The facility is designed to operate efficiently until at least 2045.

Once completed, the Masaka water project is expected to significantly enhance water accessibility in Masaka City and its surrounding areas.

NWSC estimates that by 2045, more than 400,000 people will benefit from the new infrastructure.

"We expect to deliver this project within time, within cost ans within quality. We don't expect time overruns and we don't expect cost overruns," said the NWSC MD, Eng Silver Mugisha during the signing ceremony held at NWSC offices in Kampala.

The project will be overseen by BRLi Engineers (France) in collaboration with WE Consult (Uganda), while SOGEA SATOM (France) has been contracted to execute the construction.

While the the project focuses on water supply, the national water and sewerage cooperation revealed they have a comprehensive plan in which the sewerage system will also be sorted

"We have a comprehensive plan for Masaka but we are going to consider other phases where sewage is also going to be considered. But as of now we are going to sort the issue of water first and then in the next phase we shall deal with sewage," he said.

NWSC, which currently serves over 19 million people in 276 cities, municipalities, and town councils, sees this initiative as a key step toward improving water supply services in Uganda.