GULU-The National Water and sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has committed to ensure stable water supply for the residents of Gulu municipality.
In a recent engagement with the stakeholders, Engineer Silver Mugisha, the Managing director of NWSC, assured the stakeholders that the corporation was more than ready to ensure that the piped water shortages in Gulu do not re-appear again, like it used to following the water crisis in 2015.
Eng. Mugisha said NWSC was at advanced stages to draw water from River Nile, besides rectifying the pipelines.
He was hopeful that Umeme will stabilise electricity supply in Gulu which is essential in water supply. He said distributing water to customers using generators is expensive.
Bishop Nelson Onono Onweng, the Chairman Acholi Religious Leaders and Peace Initiative (ARLPI) in his remarks urged NWSC to team up with other stakeholders to extend piped water to the rural areas.
“We want clean Water for all Ugandans and it should be extended to the rural areas,” he said.
Gulu district Chairman Martin Ojara Mapenduzi recalled that when in 2015 Oyitino Dam that supplies Gulu town dried up, NWSC came in fast to build more boreholes.
He appealed to the leadership of Gulu to leave behind their political differences and concentrate more in constructive engagements that attract more investors to the town.
George Labeja, the Gulu Municipal Mayor, said the town was not well planned initially but that as a municipal authority, they will do their best to have water and UMEME power lines laid in such a way that the lines don’t interfere with the development in the municipality which is preparing for the city status.
Mr. Labeja appealed to political leaders in the area to welcome development with one heart.
Stephen Gang, the branch Manager NWSC Gulu, said they have drilled six high hill motorized water pumps in the municipality as a way of stabilizing the water supply in town and the surrounding areas.
“The business of drying off of Oyitino dam and water crisis shall no longer be there,” he said
At the moment, 37.5 kilometers of the area in Gulu is covered with piped water lines within Gulu Municipality and the Corporation is expecting to cover 40 kilometers to avail constant water supply in Gulu.