Kampala and the surrounding area’s water problems will soon become history as the Government of Uganda through National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) puts final touches on a new water treatment plant in Katosi, Mukono district.
Works on the multibillion water production plant are near completion with 95% of project works completed.
The new plant will serve over 7.5million people in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono up to 2040.
According to NWSC Director Engineering Services, Eng Alex Gisagara, system tests for the new plant have commenced.
“The following tests and final project works are ongoing include testing and commissioning of different Plant electrical control units, raw water and treated water pumps all installed and connected to power grid and the offshore pipeline (500m) already laid on the lake bed.”
He added that more than 8.0km out of 9.5km of the pumping main already laid and undergoing pressure testing as final finishes on the process and none-process buildings continue.
The Engineer also revealed that land scaping and greening of the Plant currently ongoing.
Eng Denis Taremwa, the Project Manager, said that works are on course with the first drop of water expected to reach the new Nsumba water reservoirs by the end of April 2021.
New Technology
The Deputy Managing Director Technical Services Eng Johnson Amayo said that the utility is moving away from the traditional treatment of water by sedimentation to the use of dissolved air floatation, in order to deal with the problem of increasing algae on Lake Victoria.
“Upon completion, the Katosi plant will be the first and biggest plant in East and Central Africa using the AquaDAF and AquaZur technologies” he said
The state of the art plant shall incorporate water recycling and sludge thickening to minimise plant losses and promote environmental conservation.
From the plant, water shall be pumped to the new Nsumba reservoirs (40million litres capacity) through a 9.5km bulk DN1400mm pipeline.
The water shall thereafter gravitate to Kampala via Mukono – Seeta – Sonde – Namugongo, through a 55km DN1400mm bulk pipeline.
The Project also entails construction of a 15million litre reservoir in Sonde and booster station in Namugongo.
The project also has a component to supply water to Katosi, Lugazi town and the surrounding areas.
