EDITOR
Residents of Kakukuru-Rwenanura Town Council in Ntungamo District are set to benefit from a Shs540 million safe water project that promises to end years of dependence on unsafe water sources.
For decades, locals have relied on an open pond for domestic use — a source that not only exposed them to waterborne diseases but also claimed the life of a five-year-old boy last year after he drowned. Now, hope is in sight as the Ministry of Water and Environment, with support from the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has launched a modern water supply system for the community.
Once completed within five months, the project will deliver a production well, a water treatment plant, a 60,000-liter reservoir, and 10 tap stands across the town council. Adroit Ingeniería Limited, the contracted firm, has pledged to complete the work on time.
Speaking at the launch in Rwaminaaba Village, Ntungamo Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Rosemary Atuhaire, described the project as a lifeline for the community and urged residents to protect water catchment areas for sustainability. “We must embrace joint efforts in protecting the environment and water sources if this project is to serve generations to come,” she emphasized.
District leaders, including Principal Assistant Secretary Gerald Niwagaba and Finance Secretary Elijah Atuhaire, welcomed the project as a timely intervention in addressing water scarcity in Ntungamo.
According to Wycliff Tumwebaze, Assistant Commissioner at the Ministry of Water and Environment, the initiative is part of the Transboundary Groundwater Project in the Kagera Aquifer, aimed at strengthening sustainable use and management of shared aquifers in the Nile Basin.
For residents like Benon Baguma, the project marks a turning point: “We have suffered with dirty water for too long. This project will finally give us the clean and safe water we deserve.”
