The Ugandan government, working through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), has signed a Grant and Project Implementation Agreement for a five-year project to improve water, sanitation, and urban infrastructure for refugees and host communities in Northern Uganda.
The project, valued at approximately EUR 22.6 million, is a collaboration with the German Government through Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Development Bank, and the European Union.
The “Climate Resilience and Water Infrastructure for Refugees and Host Communities in Northern Uganda” project aims to enhance living conditions in Arua city and the surrounding districts of Maracha and Terego. The initiative will focus on rehabilitating and expanding water supply systems, sanitation networks, and boreholes.
During the grant signing ceremony in Kampala on Wednesday, Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, the NWSC Managing Director, praised the partnership.
“The Government of Uganda, working through NWSC, is implementing this project to support refugee settlements and the surrounding host communities,” he said.
He added that the innovative approach, which includes working with Arua city council authorities and the Ministry of Water and Environment, is a key to achieving “collective success.”
Dr. Mugisha thanked the government of Germany, European Union, and other partners for supporting Uganda’s water and sanitation for all agenda.
Andrea Johnston, KfW Development Bank’s head of governance and stabilization for water in Eastern Africa and the African Union, reiterated the bank’s long-standing commitment to Uganda’s water and sanitation agenda. “We have implemented a number of projects with NWSC and reiterate our unwavering support towards their water and sanitation for all agenda,” she said. She also emphasized that the refugee communities in Arua are a priority, stating, “It’s for this reason that KfW has unwaveringly supported this initiative to improve the livelihoods of the people of Arua and the surrounding areas.”
The project’s financing includes a EUR 9 million grant from the German Government through KfW, and a EUR 13.6 million grant from the European Union, with the Government of Uganda and NWSC contributing an additional EUR 1.385 million.
According to Dr Mugisha the Project will rehabilitate and expand the capacity of the existing water treatment plant and pumping mains, and extend the water supply lines by about 70 kilometers.
It will address sanitation with the rehabilitation and extension of sewer networks and lifting stations.
And lastly extend beyond water to include storm water management, solid waste management, and the development of physical plans for the city.
Dr. Mugisha confirmed that the procurement process for a consultant to oversee the design and construction has already begun.
Arua District Local Council Chairman Hon. Alfred Okuonzi has praised Ministry of water and environment for the increased water coverage within the district that currently stands at 56% up from the initial 38% in 2021.
Arua district currently has 1,673 domestic water points that serves a total of 374,925 people in rural areas according the report by Uganda water atlas.
“When I came in, the water coverage in Arua district was just 38% but as I talk now the water coverage in the district is 56% and the people behind this are the people from the ministry of water and environment, 38% to 56% is a very big achievement,” Okuonzi revealed.
He futhers says though the access to clean water in the district has drastically risen to 76%, a recent survey report show that 46% of all protected water sources in West Nile are contaminated raising question among the public.
