NWSC Moves to Secure Reliable Water Supply in Hoima Ahead of AFCON 2027
By Our Reporter
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is accelerating efforts to strengthen water supply in Hoima City as Uganda prepares for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with its emergency water project reaching 37% completion. The initiative is expected to improve water availability for residents and key facilities as Hoima prepares to accommodate increased activity during the continental football tournament.
The NWSC Board has inspected ongoing construction works and assessed progress on water infrastructure intended to support the event. The visit included a review of the emergency water supply project, the completed water connection to Hoima City Stadium and plans to extend water services to Kabalega International Airport. The projects are part of efforts to ensure that essential facilities have dependable water supplies before the tournament begins.
Eng. Denis Taremwa, the project’s manager, said the Hoima Emergency Water Supply Project was designed to increase water production and improve the reliability of supply to the city. He explained that work was progressing on several components, with commissioning targeted for February 2027. Completing the project on schedule will be important in strengthening Hoima’s capacity to meet growing water demand.
The project includes a raw water intake on River Kafu and a treatment plant at Rwoga designed to produce 2,000 cubic metres of water daily. Other components include a 2.9-kilometre raw water pipeline, a 300-cubic-metre storage and balancing reservoir, and a 22-kilometre treated water pipeline running from Kikuube to Hoima City. Together, the facilities are intended to improve water collection, treatment, storage and distribution.
During the inspection, NWSC officials reported that excavation and concrete blinding for the treatment plant units had been completed, while excavation at the intake site was 90% complete. Steel reinforcement and concrete works at the treatment plant had reached 15%, pipeline surveys were complete, and power extension works stood at 50%. The figures show progress across the project, although several construction activities remain outstanding before commissioning.
NWSC has also completed water supply works at Hoima City Stadium, one of the facilities expected to host activities connected to AFCON 2027. The project involved developing and connecting boreholes at Mparo and Kyarwiru, with capacities of 25 and 15 cubic metres per hour, respectively. Both boreholes have been connected to the stadium and commissioned, providing a water source to support the facility’s operations.
Attention is now turning to Kabalega International Airport, where NWSC plans to extend water supply services ahead of the expected increase in air travel and other activities. The proposed works include expanding the Kafu Water Treatment Plant’s capacity from 2,000 to 3,000 cubic metres daily, installing a 36-kilometre DN200 uPVC and steel bulk transfer pipeline, and constructing a 200-cubic-metre storage reservoir at the airport. The planned infrastructure is expected to extend the water network to the strategic facility.
As preparations for AFCON 2027 continue, NWSC’s projects are expected to play an important role in improving Hoima’s readiness to handle increased demand while supporting long-term urban development. However, the emergency water project still requires substantial work, while the airport extension remains at the planning stage. Timely implementation will therefore be essential to ensuring that the city and its key facilities have reliable water supplies when the tournament arrives.
