BUSIA – The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has commissioned a 7,500-litre water facility in Busia Town Council.
Speaking at the commissioning on Saturday, Eng Dr Silver Mugisha, the corporation’s managing director, disclosed that the facility aims at stabilizing water supply in the area.
He added that because intermittent power supply in the area, NWSC will procure generators, drill boreholes and increase the number of public stand taps.
“As a corporation, we are committed to ensuring that people have access to clean and safe water at all time. This is aimed at making communities fetch water at low as Shs50 per a 20 jerrican of water,” he said.
Eng Mugisha also expressed concern that police officers in different districts, instead of using water they fetch free of charge to fight fire, they supply it to institutions and individuals in exchange for money.
“Our mutual understanding states that police draw water freely to fight fires but it has come to our notice that in some areas, the police have taken it as a normal business to supply water to institutions and individuals,” he said.
Eng Mugisha said the police commanders should prevail over their police officers against misusing the company’s water or else they impose a cost.
“We are saying if there is no fire, don’t fetch our water but in most cases, we find fire hydrants fetching water when in the actual sense there is no fire,’’he said.
Mr Paul Kalikwani, Busia district deputy resident district commissioner (RDC), said the police officers attached to the fire brigade will be summoned before the district security committee for caution.
“This is not the first time, complaint is being raised but we are going to handle it,” he said.
Mr Cissy Tusingwire, the RPC Bukedi region, said they will discipline the officers who will fall victim to the vice.
“There is no doubt that such charaters have infiltrated police but we are going to investigate and they will be punished,” he said.
The Busia municipality mayor, Mr Hassan Opio Bwire, however, applauded NWSC for availing safe and clean water to the residents.
He added that the current trend of growth of industries and the population requires a lot of water.
