By HOMELAND MEDIA NEWSROOM
KALUNGU: National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has intensified efforts to improve water supply for residents of Kalungu District and surrounding areas.
According to NWSC MD Dr Eng Silver Mugisha, the corporation will implement a two-phased intervention – short and long term – to improve water supply services in Kalungu. The decision for this way of resolving water supply challenges was reached during engagements between the utility and its stakeholders in the past couple of months.
In the short term, NWSC is in the advanced stages of replacing the 3,150m length along Kasakango Valley, development of Bulingo boreholes, construction of Kalungu booster station and construction of 100m3 Lusango reservoir, drilling and development of the 20m3/hr as well as the 30m3/hr at Bulingo and, Construction of pump houses.
In the medium to long-term interventions, NWSC has completed detailed designs for a new Water Treatment Plant on River Katonga. According to MD Dr Eng Mugisha, upon completion, this project will see water production increase from the current capacity of about 200,000 litres per day to 4,000,000 litres per day. The new project will bring smiles on the faces of people residing in Kalungu Town council, Lusango, Kamuli, Kyamulibwa, Bugomola, Luvule, Lugasa, and Buyikuzi Mwota, among others.
“As part of the Project, the new Water Treatment Plant shall be constructed at Bugomola, with a raw water intake on River Katonga, and shall encompass the construction of a 1,500,000 million litre reservoir at Ssala Hill, and laying of over 40km of N250mm treated water pipelines, among others,” explained Mugisha.
The detailed designs for the project have been completed. Consequently, construction works tenders were advertised on January 28, 2022. A pre-bid meeting has also been held to allow prospective bidders to visit the project sites and familiarize themselves with the tender requirements as well as scope of work.
During the pre-bid meeting at the Kalungu Area office, Project Manager Eng Denis Taremwa explained the contents of the tender documents. Eng Taremwa also briefed the bidders – who included Zhonghao Overseas Construction & Engineering Co Ltd, Haso Engineers, Weihai International Economic & Technical Co. Ltd – about the salient features in the documents, including the technical specifications, bills of quantities, engineering drawings, and the evaluation criteria that shall be followed.
“The Project, especially the intake works are complex and shall require an experienced Contractor. The Bidders’ methodology should elaborate on how this specific scope of works shall be executed,” added the project manager.
Brendah Ninsiima, the procurement officer, told bidders that the bids should be submitted on March 29, 2022. Ninsiima also revealed that the procurement process will be completed in April 2022. NWSC hopes to see the works contract signed by the end of May 2022. Construction works are expected to commence in June 2022, and will last 15 months.
