By Mulengera Reporters
Ugandans witnessed a powerful and revealing conversation when journalist Canary Mugume hosted Dr. Silver Mugisha, the Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, on the popular NBS TV talk show NBS Face Off over the weekend.
During the discussion, Dr. Silver Mugisha painted a bold picture of a rapidly expanding national water network that is now transforming access to clean water across Uganda.
According to Dr. Silver Mugisha, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation is currently serving about 20 million Ugandans through nearly one million water connections spread across the country. These connections include homes, schools and institutions, meaning a single connection often support many people.
He revealed that the corporation now operates in 287 towns, marking a dramatic transformation from earlier years when the utility served only a small number of urban centers. The expansion has allowed the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to grow into a truly national service provider reaching communities across Uganda.
The growth has been especially important for fast-growing towns and cities where demand for clean water continues to rise every year.
In Hoima, one of the country’s fastest developing cities, the corporation is already preparing a major regional water project that will significantly strengthen supply. The project will extend water services across the region and support the growing population.
Dr. Silver Mugisha explained that the plan involves drawing water from Masindi Port and distributing it across several areas including Hoima and surrounding towns. The expansion will also benefit other important urban centers such as Fort Portal and Lira.
The large regional project is expected to be implemented within the next five years and will help secure reliable water supply in these rapidly developing areas.
The improvements are also being felt around Kampala where the water utility is carrying out major upgrades to support the growing metropolitan population.
Dr. Silver Mugisha revealed that the powerful Katosi Water Treatment Plant is already producing large volumes of water that will supply communities across the city. To ensure this water reaches more households, the corporation has started installing larger pipelines and building new reservoirs.
Areas such as Kawanda and Nansana are among the locations benefiting from these upgrades as engineers expand pipe capacity to deliver stronger water flow to residents.
New reservoirs are also planned in places such as Kanyanya to strengthen the water distribution network and improve reliability across the metropolitan area.
The infrastructure work is already in progress and is expected to be completed within two years, a move that will significantly improve water delivery to thousands of households.
Dr. Silver Mugisha also highlighted the strong financial performance of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, noting that most customers consistently pay their bills and support the utility’s operations.
Although some government institutions still have outstanding payments, the government has already taken steps to address the issue by allocating 81 billion shillings in the current national budget to clear part of the arrears.
The commitment signals continued government support for the expansion and modernization of Uganda’s water infrastructure.
Through its growing network, new infrastructure projects and strong national support, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation is steadily moving toward its mission of delivering reliable and clean water services to millions more Ugandans.
And as the discussion on NBS Face Off showed, the vision championed by Canary Mugume and explained by Dr. Silver Mugisha is one of a country steadily building a stronger and more reliable water future. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
