Kamuli, Uganda: Residents in Kamuli District are celebrating improved access to clean and safe water after the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) revealed that water supply coverage in the area has grown by 400 per cent following the implementation of the Strategic Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
The transformation was highlighted through testimonies from residents, including 73-year-old Phoebe Nabirye, a physically disabled woman from Bunangwe Zone in Northern Division, Kamuli Municipality, who walked into the Kamuli Water Supply offices carrying a cock and sisal bag as a token of appreciation to water officials.
Nabirye said access to piped water at her home had greatly reduced her monthly expenses and improved her quality of life, especially during the current rainy season.
“With my disability and advanced age, I am the most privileged beneficiary of a clean water supply just at my home,” she said. “What I pay for six months is what I was spending in one month buying water from vendors before a tap was installed in my compound.”
She praised NWSC staff for being patient and understanding with customers who clear their bills in instalments.
Another resident, Cyprian Kidanga from Butende, described the improved water supply as a “magic cure,” saying his family’s disease burden had significantly reduced since installing a stand tap at home.
“Using treated water has helped me reduce disease burden and expenditure,” Kidanga said, adding that his family no longer relies on swamp water sources shared with animals.
He also applauded the introduction of the NWSC Kamuli Customer Forum WhatsApp group, saying it has improved communication between consumers and the water utility through instant reporting of leakages, outages and supply disruptions.
Kamuli Water Supply Manager Stephen Walakira said the improved services followed the commissioning of the Strategic Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project in August 2025 under funding from the African Development Bank and the Government of Uganda.
Walakira explained that the project increased water storage capacity to 10 million litres daily after the installation of a ductile iron pipeline transporting treated water from the River Nile at Mbulamuti, alongside the construction of a modern water treatment plant.
“Our customer service base and satisfaction has grown fourfold, that is 400 per cent, and we can now supply water to the public 24/7,” Walakira said.
He revealed that the system can sustain supply for up to four days even during power outages due to the expanded storage capacity, while average daily consumption currently stands at 2.5 million litres.
According to NWSC, the project has so far connected 800 new customers, constructed 70 public stand taps and operationalized four water reservoirs located at Bugondha, Mbulamuti, Butansi and Kamuli Municipality.
Water supply services have also been extended to communities located more than 30 kilometres away, while customer accounts have increased from 4,000 to 5,125.
Walakira said the project is already delivering positive public health outcomes through improved hygiene, sanitation and reduction of water-related diseases.
Kamuli District LCV Chairperson Kaloli Dhizaala welcomed the expansion of clean water access, saying the district plans to intensify public education on proper water usage and storage.
“With a clean and safe water supply to the growing population, the district social services committee is going to step up public water use education so that people do not waste water and maintain proper hygiene,” Dhizaala said.
He also commended NWSC for extending corporate social responsibility projects to schools and communities through the construction of VIP lined latrines and public toilets.
The district leadership has now appealed for further extension of water services to more towns and trading centres across Kamuli.
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