NWSC’s new projects to benefit over 22,000 villages

Under the Water-For-All Programme (WFA), the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC)  has embarked on increasing water coverage in different parts of Uganda with the objective of reaching 100% piped water coverage in about 22,000 villages under NWSC.

This was announced by the Managing Director of NWSC Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha during a press briefing. He also warned illegal water customers while issuing them with an amnesty of one month.

“The corporation is coming up with a water-for-all programme, in line with its Corporate Plan. The WFA programme has the overall objective of achieving 100% piped water coverage in about 22,000 villages under NWSC. We request customers to be consistent with payment of their water bills to enable us to resource WFA programme, sustainably,” he said.

Managing Director of NWSC Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha

Dr. Mugisha said about 10% of NWSC customers are on illegal water supply; a vice he said continues to be a thorn in the corporation’s foot by putting the country’s water utility in a difficult resource allocation inefficiency situation.

“One of the significant causes of non-revenue water is illegal water use by some customers. We have estimated that about 10% of our customers are on illegal water supply,” he said

He added that the month-long amnesty will allow illegal water users to come forward and be legally reconnected by NWSC.

“We are giving customers on illegal water supply one month to come and we regularize their connections. Any customer who responds to amnesty on his/her own will be regularized, without sanctions,” he said noting that illegal water supply attracts serious sanctions, in accordance with the Water Act, including imprisonment if convicted.

Dr. Mugisha said after the one-month amnesty period has elapsed, illegal customers will be prosecuted according to the law.

The NWSC MD also noted that a number of their customers do not respond to payment of bills promptly, despite several SMS reminders; a trend he said is adversely, hampering the utility’s capacity to provide effective and efficient services.

“We are reminding all our esteemed customers that any outstanding bill not cleared to zero balance, places a customer in the category of water supply disconnection for non-payment. We don’t aim to disconnect our customers but the need to keep business continuity is placing us in that operational practice.”

The Chairman Board Eng. Badru Kiggundu said that the number of people served by piped water in areas under NWSC have increased from 4.5 million to 18 million and are projected to increase to 28 million by 2028.

The NWSC assets under management of Eng Silver Mugisha have increased from UGX 650 billion to UGX 4,100 Billion and are planned to increase to UGX 6,600 Billion by 2028.

The number of customer connections have increased from 296.000 to 874,000 and are expected to increase to 1,250.000 by 2028.

“Pipe network length has increased from 5,073 Kms to 22.000 Kms and is planned to increase to 32,000Kms by 2028; annual turnover has increased from UGX 155 Billion to UGX 519 Billion and is projected to increase to UGX 700 Billion by 2028,” he said