NWSC Expands Reach, Customer Base Hits 1.46 Million

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has achieved remarkable growth over the past decade, nearly quintupling its customer base and expanding its water network significantly. The corporation’s water network now spans 25,000 kilometers, a substantial increase from the approximately 6,000 kilometers it covered ten years ago.

This extensive network expansion has directly translated into a surge in customer connections, rising from around 300,000 to an impressive 1.46 million. Consequently, the number of Ugandans benefiting from NWSC’s services has grown from about 4.5 million to 22 million.

NWSC Managing Director Eng. Silver Mugisha highlighted that this rapid development is a direct result of strategic investments in infrastructure, the adoption of digital transformation, enhanced operational efficiency, and the bolstering of the corporation’s in-house technical expertise. During the same period, NWSC’s operational presence has extended to roughly 290 towns, up from 23, and its asset base has ballooned from Shs580 billion to nearly Shs5 trillion.

Looking ahead, NWSC aims to further extend its reach by targeting 30,000 kilometers of water network and serving 25 million people within the next five years. A key strategy contributing to this success has been the adoption of “force-account construction,” where NWSC increasingly utilizes its own technical teams for project design and implementation. This approach reduces reliance on external contractors, fosters internal knowledge retention, improves project oversight, and ensures better value for money.

Further investments in digitalization and engineering capacity, including the internal development of systems and project designs, are also playing a crucial role. A new, locally developed financial management system is currently undergoing testing to modernize operations. The corporation has also intensified performance-based management and internal audits to ensure accountability and minimize inefficiencies.

Eng. Mugisha also addressed the 2023 cyberattack, noting that NWSC’s internal technical capabilities were instrumental in a swift system recovery. The incident prompted enhanced cybersecurity measures. Furthermore, a strategy of retaining and managing certain risks internally has yielded significant savings and strengthened operational control.

Regarding human capital, Mugisha defended the retention of specialized professionals beyond retirement age, emphasizing their continued importance for complex technical tasks and knowledge transfer to younger staff. NWSC remains committed to investing in infrastructure, human capital, digitalization, and operational efficiency to provide sustainable water services while maintaining financial discipline.

Source: Nile Post