Mukono — Government will increase financing for the water sub-sector to Shs 31.6 billion in 2006/'7 from Shs 14.2 billion in 2003/'4.

A representative of the Minister of State for Environment, Lt. Gen. Jeje Odongo, revealed the change at the launching of a Shs 180 million Kekeje gravity water scheme on Buvuma Islands in Mukono district recently.

The launching took place at Buvuma county headquarters. The piped water scheme will benefit about 7,000 people in Busamuzi and Nairambi sub-counties.

It is funded by the government under the District Water and Sanitation Development Conditional Grant.

Odongo's representative, Mr Mugisha Shillingi, said government is to provide safe water to all rural people by 2015 and to the urban population by 2010.

"We still have a significant task to achieve the goal of universal coverage because at present only 58 percent of the rural population has access to clean water while the coverage for urban areas stands at only 60 percent," Mugisha said.