The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), with support from the French Development Agency (AFD), is in the advanced stages of a major network expansion aimed at extending water supply from the Katosi Water Treatment Plant to northern and western parts of Kampala and surrounding areas.
French Ambassador to Uganda Virginie Leroy on Thursday toured the project and said the Package 2B works are critical in ensuring that water produced at Katosi reaches households and businesses. She described the project as a strategic investment that turns production capacity into reliable supply for consumers.
Katosi Plant Manager Joseph Tweheyo Baine told the delegation that although the plant has an installed capacity of 160 million litres per day, it is currently operating at about 52 per cent due to gaps in the distribution network. He said the ongoing expansion is intended to close that gap and unlock the plant’s full potential.
The project, which started in February 2025, involves laying about 70 kilometres of primary transmission pipelines and constructing new reservoirs at Kanyanya, Kabulengwa and Mutungo. The infrastructure is expected to support rising water demand across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Once completed, the network will extend reliable water services to fast-growing areas including Kira, Kasangati, Gayaza, Matugga, Kawempe, Nansana and Wakiso. According to NWSC, pipe laying is already underway along the Mpererwe–Kawempe–Nansana corridor, with full completion of the works scheduled for August 2027.
Ambassador Leroy commended NWSC for its project management and emphasis on value for money. She also highlighted the social component of the programme, noting that a pro-poor initiative co-funded with KfW has delivered 1,400 public standpipes fitted with prepaid meters and 64 sanitation facilities, benefiting an estimated 450,000 residents in informal settlements.
She described the Katosi Water Treatment Plant as a flagship example of infrastructure cooperation between Uganda and its development partners, adding that the facility is expected to play a central role in supplying safe drinking water to millions of people in the Greater Kampala area by 2030.
France has committed about 480 million euros to Uganda’s water and sanitation sector through AFD. Ambassador Leroy said the investment reflects a long-term partnership aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040, focusing on sustainable infrastructure that delivers practical benefits to communities.
During the visit, the delegation inspected works being carried out by SOGEA at the Kungu pumping station and the Kanyanya reservoir. NWSC officials said foundation works at the Kungu and Kabulengwa booster stations have been completed, while excavation for a 10-million-litre reservoir at Kanyanya is done.
Alex Gisagara, Senior Adviser for Engineering Services at NWSC, said the new transmission lines and reservoirs are the missing link needed to ensure that water produced at Katosi is delivered to consumers across the metropolitan area.
Following the utilisation of earlier financing, the AFD board in December 2025 approved additional funding to expand Katosi’s production capacity by 80,000 cubic metres per day and extend the network by a further 50 kilometres. The project is also supported by the European Union, the European Investment Bank and KfW.
The expansion comes as NWSC continues to scale up operations nationwide. Since 2013, the utility has expanded its coverage from 23 towns to 287 towns by early 2026. Its asset base has grown from about Shs650 billion to Shs5 trillion, while water connections have surpassed one million, serving an estimated 22 million people.
Under its 2024–2027 Corporate Plan, NWSC targets 1.1 million connections and service coverage for about 24 million people.
Project completion is expected within 30 months, by July 2027. However, NWSC said the bulk transmission pipeline serving the Kiira–Kasangati corridor is scheduled to be completed by December 2026. Once operational, it will supply Namugongo, Kiira, Buwaate, Bulindo, Mulawa, Kasangati and neighbouring areas.
