Uganda National Water & sewerage corporation to produce own electricity.

The multibillion donor-funded sewage treatment plant being constructed at Bugolobi will generate 600 kilowatts of electric power, National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) acting managing director Eng Alex Gisagara has disclosed.

Gisagara, who led a team of NWSC and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials to check on the progress of the 55-million-euro project recently, said the amount of electricity generated would be enough to run operations of the plant.

By using the 600kWgenerated from converting gases from the treatment plant into electricity, Gisagara noted that NWSC would not only cut on its power bills but also control air pollution in the surrounding areas. NWSC is one of the biggest power consumers in the country; it pays Shs 3.5 billion per month to electricity utility, Umeme.

Gisagara said that if they generated more electricity than required for its plant operations at Bugolobi, they would sell the excess power to Umeme. The new modern Bugolobi sewerage treatment plant, jointly funded by the African Development Bank, Germany and Uganda government, is expected to commence operations by August 2017.

French firm OTV and Roko are among the contractors on site. Sitting on 25 hectares, the facility has the capacity to treat 45 million litres of sewage per day. It will treat sewage from Ntinda, Luzira, Mengo, Katwe, Nsambya, Kibuli, Mbuya, Nakawa, Naguru, Bukoto and Kamwokya, among others.

A new office block, composite manure section, municipal nursery and parking lot for cesspool emptiers are also being constructed at the complex.

The facility is part of NWSC's overall development strategy to improve sanitation in Kampala and environmental pollution around the Lake Victoria basin.

A similar plant, but with a smaller capacity of treating five million litres of sewage per day, has been built in Lubigi. There are plans to construct others in catchment areas such as Kinawataka and Nalukolongo.

By Moses Mugalu