The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is expressing concern over the high costs of treating water from River Rwizi, which has become highly polluted.
The NWSC Mbarara Greater Area branch relies on the river for the water supply, but pollution from human activities has significantly increased treatment costs, particularly during the dry season.
Innocent Kansiime, NWSC’s Principal Engineer for Mbarara, revealed that reduced water levels caused by ongoing droughts have made treatment more challenging. The river’s water levels have dropped from six meters to just one meter, and treatment costs have doubled due to the decline in water quality.
Currently, the NWSC’s plants produce 18 million liters of water daily, falling short of the 21 million liters needed to meet Mbarara’s demand.
Despite efforts by the government and environmentalists to restore the river, progress has been limited. Julius Mbaine Mugisha, NWSC Public Relations Officer for Mbarara, urged local governments to strengthen efforts to control human activities that threaten the river’s survival.
Story by Aggrey Twesigye
