Official Website of the Ministry of Water and Environment
Shs1.3 trillion government water project takes shape, Set for January 2026 Completion
Originally published in the Daily Monitor
A $313 million (about Shs1.3 trillion) government-funded water and sanitation project is now 70 percent complete and remains on track for its scheduled completion in January 2026, a senior Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) official has said.
The Integrated Water Management and Development Project (IWMDP) has been under implementation across Uganda since June 2019. It is jointly executed by MoWE and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), with financial support from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank.
The project covers a wide scope, targeting large and small towns, Rural Growth Centres (RGCs), refugee settlements, and host communities, under components handled by the Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Services (UWSSS) and the Rural Water Department.
Significant Progress Achieved
Eng Herbert Nuwamanya, the assistant commissioner in the UWSSS department and national IWMDP coordinator, confirmed in an interview yesterday that significant progress has been made.
“We are at about 70 percent completion, with several sub-projects in Karuma-Gulu, Busia, Kumi, Namasale, Koboko, Rakai, Kagadi, and Kakumiro already completed,” said Eng Nuwamanya.
He added that the project is designed with long-term sustainability in mind, focusing on integrated water resource management to ensure continuous availability and quality of water.
Comprehensive Water and Sanitation Services
“We are not only providing water but also protecting water sources to ensure sustainability. Additionally, we are investing in faecal sludge management and sewerage systems—particularly in urban centres such as Mbale, and constructing public sanitation facilities, especially in schools and health centres,” he explained.
The system design, completed in 2020, was structured to serve communities for the next 20 years, aligning with Uganda’s Vision 2040 development agenda.
Regional Implementation
In Busia Municipality, infrastructure works include the establishment of a new water supply system in Maduwa ‘A’ Village, Majanji Sub-county, and a faecal sludge treatment plant at Okame Abochet Village in Buteba Sub-county.
In Northern Uganda, IWMDP interventions are underway in districts such as Adjumani, Koboko, Gulu, Mbale, and Kaliro, and extend to surrounding town councils, including Namungalwe in Iganga District.
In Western Uganda, faecal sludge treatment plants are under development in Kyegegwa and Ruyonza in Rukungiri District, among other refugee-hosting areas.
