By Mulengera Reporters
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has broken down the numbers and technical realities behind calls for a prepaid water system, telling the public that while the concept sounds attractive, it is far from practical for nationwide use.
The clarification came after a social media user asked: “Why doesn’t NWSC bring up new meters that automatically switch off when your purchased units for water get done? The way UMEME (Now UEDCL) introduced Yaka meters that turn off automatically when your units are done.”
In its response, NWSC explained that water and electricity operate under entirely different engineering systems, which makes their metering technologies fundamentally distinct.
Unlike electricity, which can be cut off instantly when units run out, water supply involves mechanical flow control and pressurized distribution that cannot be managed in the same automated way.
The corporation further revealed that a good quality prepaid water meter costs about USD 1,000 (approximately UGX 3.7 million). With millions of customers countrywide, replacing all existing meters with such high-cost units would not be economically feasible.
NWSC assured customers that it is continually exploring cost-effective innovations to improve service delivery, but any new system must balance technical suitability with financial sustainability.
