World Bank injects Shs 11bln for piped water project in Adjumani district

ADJUMANI, March 7, 2025 –– Adjumani district is set to benefit from a significant water infrastructure investment. The World Bank, through the Ministry of Water and Environment, has allocated Shs 11 billion to fund the construction of a piped water system.

The project is expected to alleviate the long-standing challenges faced by residents of Ukusijoni and Arinyapi sub-counties, who have struggled with access to clean and safe water.

Residents, who have been forced to make long journeys to fetch water from distant boreholes, have welcomed the project with great joy.

Evaline Masudio Ebevu, a resident of Arinyapi Subcounty, expressed her gratitude, highlighting that access to clean water has been an ongoing struggle for the community.

“We are extremely grateful to the World Bank and the Ministry of Water and Environment. Our suffering will finally come to an end. We have been walking long distances to fetch clean water, and sometimes we have had no choice but to use water from River Tete, which is unsafe,” Masudio added.

Patricia Eimani shared a similar sentiment, explaining that she has been walking three kilometres daily in search of clean water. “This project will certainly relieve us from the long journeys. It has even caused conflicts in my household. We needed this water project yesterday,” she said.

The contract for the project has been awarded to Ambitious Construction Company Limited, with engineer Buavesh Pindoria promising to complete the work within the stipulated ten months. He assured the community that high-quality work will be carried out, with continuous engagement with local leaders to ensure the project runs smoothly.

“Our team will work closely with local leaders and the community to ensure timely and efficient completion,” Pindoria stated.

Eng. Stanley Watenga, the Principal Engineer at the Ministry of Water and Environment, stressed that the government is transitioning from borehole drilling to motorised piped water systems to improve accessibility to clean water.

“At a national level, only 70 percent of communities have access to safe drinking water. We recognise that Ukusijoni and Arinyapi are among the 30 percent still struggling, and this project aims to change that,” Watenga said.

He also noted that while the primary aim of the project is to provide domestic water supply, it could also support small-scale irrigation and backyard gardening, helping the communities adapt to climate change.

Dominic Seseko, the LCIII Chairperson of Arinyapi Sub-county, pledged to safeguard the project from vandalism, recalling the community’s long struggle with water scarcity since 1986.

“Contractor Ambitious, we are watching you closely. Cooperate with our local leaders and the community. You will be protected, but we also expect transparency and accountability throughout the project,” Seseko warned.

Richard Wambi, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Adjumani district, noted that Arinyapi Subcounty is among the most water-stressed areas in the district.

Wambi affirmed that the project would provide a lasting solution to the water crisis by ensuring connections to households, government institutions, markets, and trading centres.

Project breakdown

According to the project design, Ukusijoni Subcounty will see the construction of a water office block, a borehole pump house, a guard and pump attendant house, and a 131 cubic metre steel reservoir mounted on a 10-metre-high steel tower.

In Arinyapi, the project will include a similar water office block, borehole pump house, guard and pump attendant house, and a 131 cubic steel reservoir. Additionally, a 315 cubic metres per day water treatment plant will be constructed, featuring an aerator, sedimentation tank, rapid gravity filters, a treated water tank, a pump house, a chemical house, an attendant house, and associated infrastructure.

With this investment, the residents of Ukusijoni and Arinyapi can finally look forward to a future with improved access to clean and safe water, transforming their lives and enhancing overall community well-being.

https://thecooperator.news/mukono-district-expands-tap-water-access-to-rural-communities/