Uganda’s largest waste water treatment plant to pump sewerage into electricity

The plant will treat 45 million litres of waste water daily and generate over 630kw of electricity using biogas for use in the plant, according to NWSC. COURTESY PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • The project encompasses an ultra-modern sewerage treatment plant in Bugolobi, a sewerage pre-treatment plant in Kinawataka, a sewerage pumping station on Kibira road and 31km of sewer network.
  • The Bugolobi-Nakivubo sewerage plants comes four years after the commissioning of the Lubigi sewerage treatment plant in 2014.

The construction of Uganda’s largest Sewerage treatment plant is substantially complete with about 95 percent of the civil and electro-mechanical works completed in the Bugolobi Nakivubo catchment area in Kampala.

Sharing the plant specifications during a site visit, National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC)’s managing director, Mr Silver Mugisha said the plant will be ready within three to four months.
The plant is also considered largest in East Africa and Central Africa.

Mr Mugisha said the plant will treat 45 million litres of waste water daily and generate over 630kw of electricity using biogas for use in the plant.


According to him, the plant will help to clean Kampala city by diverting and treating waste water from the heavily polluted Nakivubo channel before releasing water into the Lake Victoria.
"The foul smell at Wankoko Bugolobi will be no more. The new plant uses nuisance free technology and bio-filters and will not smell. It will serve the needs of 850,000 people," he said while inspecting construction works on Friday.

Chemical processes have reportedly been introduced in the treatment stages to help reduce algae and subsequently improve the quality of water on Lake Victoria.

The project encompasses an ultra-modern sewerage treatment plant in Bugolobi, a sewerage pre-treatment plant in Kinawataka, a sewerage pumping station on Kibira road and 31km of sewer network.

The new plant will serve Naguru, Ntinda, Nakawa, Bugolobi, Kyambogo, Kiwanataka, Banda, Kasokoso, Butabika and neighbouring areas.
“This substantially extends piped sewerage services outside the Central Business District, Old Kampala, Kiseka Market area, Kololo, Nakasero etc,” said the NWSC deputy managing director Technical services, Mr John Amayo.

The project is being funded by government with support of African Development Bank, European Union and German funding through KfW.

The Bugolobi-Nakivubo sewerage plants comes four years after the commissioning of the Lubigi sewerage treatment plant in 2014. Lubigi plant serves Mulago Makerere, Wandegeya, Bwaise, Kalerwe, Lubigi Kawempe and the neighbouring areas.
“Plans are underway to construct a sewerage treatment plant in Nalukolongo and Kajjansi to serve the growing needs of Kampala city.