BY JOACKIM KULE
There is relief among communities in Bukonzo County East and Busongora County South, Kasese district, as the construction of Nyamugasani Water Supply and Sanitation Project, which aims to address chronic water shortages and improve hygiene, nears completion.
The project, funded by the World Bank to the tune of over 108 billion Shillings, is set to provide more than 3,500 tap stands and a number of waterborne toilets at selected public institutions, including schools and health facilities. The project will be implemented in two phases.
The first phase will cover 11 Lower Local Governments, including the sub-counties of Kyarumba, Kyondo, Kisinga, Kahokya, Muhokya, Lake Katwe, Kitabu, and the Kisinga and Kyarumba Town Councils, with a budget of 62 billion shillings.
Kasese District Water Engineer, Patrick Syaipuma Ndungu, notes that the project will help reduce on the challenges that the communities face while depending on unsafe water.
He expressed optimism while presenting the next financial year’s projections in the department, noting that by December 31, the communities will have started collecting water from the source.
He, however, stressed that the water coverage level in the district is still low at 58% with 3310 water serving points across the district.
These serving points are mounted on 70 rural water gravity flow schemes, 177 boreholes, 50 springs and 10 solar powered schemes.
Syaipuma highlighted a challenge of illegal water connections by the communities, leading to wastage.
ENDS