Being at IFAT 2026 AKUT holds discussions and is networking with various stakeholders in the water management sector.

In this context, our ‘rainwater expert’, Anne Wehrmann, also took part – in her capacity as deputy chair of the Maris Network of the Berlin-Brandenburg Water Industry – in a joint round-table discussion with the fbr – Bundesverband für Betriebs- und Regenwasser e. V. (Federal Association for Process and Rainwater) on a joint approach to implementing sponge city principles. In addition to the board members, the managing directors of both organisations were also present.

As members of the Maris water management network in Berlin-Brandenburg, we have helped to draw up the ‘5-point plan for Berlin as a sponge city’. We firmly believe that effective solutions must be found quickly in order to tackle the challenges posed by climate change. Bold and sustainable changes are needed in this city in terms of administration, funding, regulation, technology and training.

New Work Stage Launched for the HPI Kampala in Uganda

As part of the “Lake Victoria Basin – Integrated Water Resource Management Programme,” AKUT and its joint venture partners have launched a new work stage of the High Priority Investment (HPI) project in Kampala, Uganda. Implemented by KfW with funding from BMZ and the EU, this project seeks to reduce pollution into Lake Victoria. The HPI project in Kampala is one of four similar investments underway across Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania, all aimed at improving wastewater management and protecting regional water quality.

Following the successful completion of a feasibility study in 2023, the design phase for Kampala’s project began with a Kick-off Meeting on October 23rd. During this phase, consultants will develop plans for pumping stations, pressure pipes, and sewer networks to transfer wastewater from parts of the South of Luzira Subcatchment Area (SOLCA) to the Nakivubo Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). This plan is aligned with the updated 2022 Kampala Sanitation Report which identifies key investment areas to expand Kampala’s sewer network. AKUT’s approach prioritizes robust, low-maintenance, and energy-efficient infrastructure.

Currently, untreated sewage from the SOLCA area is discharged into aging treatment ponds that no longer function effectively, allowing contaminated water to flow directly into Inner Murchison Bay in Lake Victoria. The planned upgrades will route this wastewater to the Nakivubo WWTP, where treatment is expected to remove approximately 1.8 tons of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5)—a key measure of organic pollution that depletes oxygen in water—each day. This reduction will contribute to protect Lake Victoria’s ecosystem and improve health outcomes for the local community.

In partnership with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), AKUT and project stakeholders aim to complete the wastewater connection for SOLCA by 2027. This significant milestone will mark a major step forward in safeguarding Lake Victoria and ensuring sustainable water quality for the region.