NWSC Boss Dr. Silver Mugisha Reveals July 2027 Plan To End Kampala’s Water Shortages
National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Managing Director Eng. Dr. Silver Mugisha has revealed that the corporation is working to end persistent water shortages in Kampala and the surrounding metropolitan areas by July 2027, when major pipeline works are expected to be completed.Dr. Mugisha said the project is expected to improve water supply in several areas that have regularly experienced shortages, including Najjera, Kyanja, Namugongo and Kira.
He said NWSC technical teams and contractors are currently working on expanding the distribution network to ensure that more water reaches the affected communities.Speaking during the Public Sector Institutions Leadership Retreat at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi, Dr. Mugisha apologised to Kampala residents over the continued interruptions.
He explained that the city’s water problems are not primarily caused by insufficient production, but by the limited capacity of the existing distribution network.According to Dr. Mugisha, NWSC currently has enough water at its production facilities and reservoirs, but the available infrastructure cannot move sufficient volumes to some parts of Kampala. He specifically highlighted northeastern Kampala, where increasing demand has put pressure on the existing network.He said the completion of the new pipelines will enable NWSC to change the way water is distributed across the capital. The area supplied by the Ggaba water system will be reduced, allowing more water from the system to be directed towards southwestern parts of Kampala and helping to balance supply across the city.The NWSC chief also responded to concerns over roads being excavated during the pipeline works.
He said some road cuts cannot be avoided because pipes sometimes have to be installed or repaired beneath already completed roads. However, he admitted that NWSC still needs to improve the restoration of roads after completing construction works.Dr. Mugisha also said NWSC is putting measures in place to protect its operations against heavy rains and other weather-related challenges. He urged customers to pay their water bills promptly, explaining that revenue collected from customers is essential for maintaining the network and financing further improvements.He further revealed that NWSC’s asset base has grown to more than Shs5.2 trillion and is expected to reach Shs6.8 trillion within five years and Shs8.2 trillion by 2035. The corporation now operates in 293 towns and serves about 22 million people, compared with five million people in 28 towns in 2015/16. NWSC has also increased connections to more than 1.06 million and plans to serve 35 million people in over 400 towns by 2035 while reducing non-revenue water from 33.9 per cent to below 25 per cent.
