The system is designed to supply a projected Town Water demand of 2,331.2m3 for a total (domestic and non-domestic) population of 73,101 by 2040. The source of water River Aswa, a tributary of River Muzizi, extracting 547m3 /hr.

M/S Royal Techno Industries in a joint venture with Velko Infratek PPL was contracted by the MWE to undertake construction of the water supply system at a cost of contract sum of UGX 24,422,321,712 (VAT INCLUSIVE). M/S SARI consulting Engineers in association with SGAPI was the consultant hired by MWE to carry out design review and construction supervision for the project.

The total contract period is 23 months; 15 months construction period plus 8 months extension (including 3 months test running) and 12 months defects liability period. Construction works commenced on 24th February 2021 and were substantially completed by
31st January, 2023.

Representing the corporation at the technical commissioning of the Katooke project, Eng. Simon Ojara thanked the Commissioner and the staff from the ministry together with the developing partners for financing and completing the project on time and having confidence in National Water and Sewerage Corporation to manage the system. He went on to stress that this is was another opportunity for the corporation to serve Ugandans to fulfil its mandate of water for all.

Eng. Simon went on to highlight some of the snugs that were observed during the inspection of the project and requested that they have them documented for the contractor to rectify and those that will also be identified during the defect liability period. He also thanked the leadership of Kyenjojo district for the support rendered to the ministry and the project team and emphasized that NWSC will work closely with them to provide the service to the full satisfaction of the people of Kyenjojo. He also pledged that the corporation will sensitize the community on their roles and responsibilities and the general operation of the system. Eng. Simon also stressed that the corporation will extend and expand the installation that had been handed over in a phased manner.

He also called upon the community to protect and safeguard the assets that had been put in place as they have cost the government an arm and a leg to have them in place. He urged the people of Katooke to always report cases of vandalism to the relevant authorities such as the district leadership in close collaboration with the security agencies and NWSC as he concluded his remarks. Also in attendance was Manager Water Quality, Dr. Babu Muhamad and AM Kyenjojo Ms. Judith Abonyo Sokoto.

The Commissioner in charge of Urban Water and Sewerage Service, Eng. John Twinomujuni in his remarks thanked the government of Uganda for the progress it has achieved in the water sector reminding those present that NWSC used to operate in on 5 times but has over the years extended its operation to 268 towns, the umbrella authorities who are managing over 700 small towns and small growth centers. He stated that the technical commissioning marked the end of the technical phase and that the technocrats had generated a snug list that highlighted some of the defect that were to be addressed by the contractor during the defect liability period. Eng. Twinomujuni emphasized that the area had been gazetted by the minister to be operated by NWSC who is mandated by the act of parliament to recover a full cost of operations hence operating on a commercial basis.

Eng. Twinomujuni also stated that the ministry will go ahead and organize a political commissioning of the project and where possible it will be presided over by the head of state. He concluded his brief remarks by thanking his staff from ministry for doing a commendable job in Kyenjojo especially in the area of Katooke. He also thanked NWSC for always doing a good job in managing such installations with prerequisite experience in providing clean safe water to the people of Uganda.

SYSTEM INFORMATION

• Katooke Town Council is approximately 19km from Kyenjojo Town.

• Katooke town has an estimated population of 19,600 and the town has a growing remarkable number of educational institutions.

• The Kyenjojo- Katooke piped water supply and sanitation system is a new system constructed by MWE from 2020 with a goal of serving 70 villages that is 36 villages in Katooke and 34 villages in Kyenjojo.

• The Katooke Water System is a conventional system composed of aerators, flocculators, coagulators, sedimentation, rapid sand filters, and disinfection units. It has a designed abstraction rate of 3,200m3/day from River Aswa and a production capacity of 2,500 m3/day. The raw water is pumped through a 170m long DN250 PN16 steel pipe into the Water Treatment Plant.

• Treated water is transmitted to Kagoora Master Balancing Reservoir (MBR) through a 1km DN250 steel transmission line.

• Water flows by gravity through a 9km steel DN250 pipe to the 128m3 concrete sump at Katooke. The water is lifted by a booster pump to 200m3 reservoir at Katooke hill through a steel DN250 transmission line.

• The delivered water flows by gravity to two (2 No.) secondary distribution reservoirs namely; 300m3 reservoir in Kyenjojo and 200m3 reservoir in Katooke.

• Total connections effected under the MWE’s promotional offer (UGX 100,000 per connection) are 690 connections with a composition of 680 domestic/yard connections and 10 PSPs.

• The system has approximately 200 new connections under the MWE promotional offer that have been fully paid for by customers but not yet connected on ground.

• A gravity flow scheme, originally managed by Umbrella, existed before this project but has been dysfunctional since 2021. The original system had 400 customers who have been transferred to the new system.