NWSC Moves to End Greater Kampala Water Shortages as Package 2B Expansion Takes Shape
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has stepped up efforts to address recurring water shortages in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area through the Package 2B network expansion, rehabilitation and re-zoning project. The project is expected to strengthen water distribution and enable more residents to access reliable supplies as demand continues to rise.
NWSC Managing Director Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha said the project is designed to close critical gaps in the existing distribution network and ensure that treated water reaches communities that are currently experiencing shortages. He made the remarks on Wednesday while inspecting ongoing Package 2B works in several parts of the metropolitan area.The project involves laying new transmission pipelines, constructing water reservoirs and booster stations, as well as rehabilitating and reorganising sections of the existing network.
The works cover areas in north and west Kampala and other fast-growing neighbourhoods where the increasing population has placed pressure on the available water supply infrastructure.Dr Mugisha explained that NWSC is now placing greater emphasis on expanding the distribution network instead of focusing only on increasing water production. He said the corporation already has significant volumes of treated water available, but limitations in the network have made it difficult to deliver the water to all areas that need it.
The Katosi Water Treatment Plant is at the centre of the strategy, having added 160 million litres of treated water per day to the system. However, NWSC says the plant is currently operating at about 52 percent of its capacity because the existing network cannot evacuate all the water produced. Package 2B is therefore expected to provide the infrastructure needed to utilise more of Katosi’s output and improve supply reliability.During the inspection, Dr Mugisha directed the contractor to accelerate pipe-laying and ensure that the project remains within the agreed timeline and budget. He said the rapidly increasing demand for water in Greater Kampala requires urgent action, adding that residents should not have to wait unnecessarily for improved services.
He also directed engineers to begin work on an additional water-evacuation line from Katosi to support increased production as the plant expands towards its potential output of 240 million litres per day.Although the overall Package 2B project is expected to be completed in 2027, the contractor plans to hand over completed sections progressively. The Namugongo–Kasangati pipeline is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year, allowing residents to benefit from completed infrastructure before the entire project is finished. Dr Mugisha welcomed the approach and said NWSC would activate completed sections as soon as they are ready.Dr Mugisha said he was encouraged by the progress of works in Nansana, Katooke, Kawempe and other areas, where project sites have been adequately mobilised.
He pledged to conduct quarterly inspections and directed the contractor and supervising consultant to prepare an acceleration plan and submit quarterly reports showing measurable progress. NWSC Senior Director for Projects and Capital Development Eng. Paddy Twesigye reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to improving water reliability nationwide, while Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services Eng. Johnson Amayo called for thorough pressure testing of the new pipelines to prevent leaks and bursts. The project is expected to strengthen the Greater Kampala water network and help the city keep pace with demand through 2040.
