The Ministry of Water and Environment has handed over a site in Omoro District for construction of a water quality monitoring and management laboratory, marking the start of works on a Shs7.3 billion project.
Financed by the Government of Uganda with support from the European Commission and German Government through KfW, the facility in Bobi sub-county will serve Lango, Acholi and West Nile sub-regions upon completion.
The infrastructure includes a water quality laboratory to ensure standards are met, a centralised warehouse for pipes and consumables to enable rapid response to bursts, administrative offices, and a training centre to upskill artisans and plumbers from across the northern region.
Consulting Engineers Salzgitter is the project management and implementation consultant while Zhonghao Overseas Construction Company Ltd is the contractor.
The handover on Friday, June 5, 2026, was described by the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Dr Alfred Okot Okidi, as a critical step in decentralising water management in northern Uganda.
By combining quality control, logistical storage, and professional training in a single hub, the Northern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation is positioned to enhance service efficiency and water security for the region.
Dr Okot Okidi thanked Omoro District for providing 20 acres of land free of charge, expanded from the initial 8 acres to accommodate current and future facilities.
‘In today’s Uganda, it is very difficult to get a generous district like Omoro, where they give you land free of charge,’ Dr Okot Okidi said. ‘This facility is going to enhance service delivery because we are now going to be nearer our infrastructure. We are going to have training facilities. We are going to have workshops. We are going to have stores. And we are going to have our team based here. So it will be quicker for us to reach our people.’
Eng Yusuf Lule, deputy branch manager of WSDF-N, said samples from different regions will be brought to the facility for testing. ‘So, we are grateful that there is an opportunity to ensure that whatever we produce, especially to do with water, meets the quality before we supply it to the communities within the region.’
Dr Martin Wamalwa, manager of Northern Umbrella of Water and Sanitation, said: ‘When we have a water quality laboratory here, which will ensure the water that you drink meets the quality standards.’
Omoro Deputy RDC Geoffrey Akol welcomed the project and cautioned the contractor. ‘And I want to assure the contractor, we shall support you in this project. If something is wrong, please, share, so that we get quality work here. We don’t want you to come and play with the project. Please, do quality work. One year, the project must be here.’
Chief Administrative Officer Donato Oola Olam said the district is ready to provide more land if the technical scope requires it. ‘I want to commit myself on behalf of the administration that we shall continue to support this initiative. We shall support in terms of coordination, and where there are challenges which require technical input from the administration of the district, we shall always be available,’ Mr Oola said.
Ms Therese Scholl from Consulting Engineers Salzgitter said after a year of collaborative efforts, the project has reached the milestone of beginning physical work. ‘The focus now should shift toward a successful implementation phase that aligns strictly with the requirements established in the contract,’ she said.
The contractor has 12 months to deliver the facility. The CAO and district technical team will conduct regular site visits and coordination meetings to monitor progress.