Contrary to belief, intermittent water supply is not a failure in utility management, but rather a response. A survival tactic, if you please. In technical terms, it means water is not available 24 hours a day, and instead follows a schedule to ensure limited resources are stretched across entire communities. It is not ideal, but in areas where water is scarce, infrastructure is overwhelmed, or populations outpace supply, it becomes the most practical way to serve as many people as possible.
Globally, utilities grappling with intermittent supply are facing a familiar trio of challenges; declining water quality, increased strain on infrastructure, and the disproportionate burden on vulnerable communities. So, in response utilities are adapting, and Uganda’s National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is no exception.
Rather than copy-paste models from abroad, NWSC has opted for home-grown solutions, tailored interventions designed specifically for Uganda’s water-stressed neighbourhoods, the ones that feel every drop.
One of the biggest pressure points, is unaccounted-for water thus, Non-Revenue Water (NRW). Every drop lost to leaks, illegal connections, or faulty meters is a drop not delivered, and not paid for. To curb this, NWSC has stepped up enforcement, encouraging whistle-blowing on illegal users, investing heavily in leak detection, and launching rapid-response repair teams. The goal is simply to ensure that no drop goes to waste.
Accurate billing and metering have also become non-negotiables. Without them, revenue disappears and infrastructure suffers. With them, the utility is able to reinvest in system upgrades and maintenance, closing the cycle of loss.
Infrastructure upgrades are the spine of any shift from intermittent to reliable supply. NWSC’s recent investments, including the Katosi Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Kanyanya Hill booster station upgrades, the Budo-Nansove project and wider network restructuring, are all aimed at getting more water from source to consumer, faster and more reliably.
Reservoirs are also being expanded to store more water during rainy seasons, pump stations are being upgraded, and the entire pipe network is being redesigned to better manage pressure and reduce the risk of bursts. This is a structural reform.
And then there’s the softer, but equally important, side of the strategy, water conservation. NWSC continues to educate consumers on efficient water use, encouraging simple changes, like switching to low-flow taps or rethinking how we water our gardens. Even factories are being nudged towards efficiency in their industrial processes, because when demand drops slightly across thousands of households, supply stretches further.
But let’s be clear, intermittent supply was never meant to be permanent but rather a stepping stone, a temporary measure on the road to 24-hour continuous water access. Which is why, utilities like NWSC are rolling out this shift gradually, starting with pilot zones before expanding network-wide. Key to this effort is pressure management, which reduces bursts and leakages, and makes steady delivery more feasible.
Of course, all of this comes at a cost, financial, logistical, political. But NWSC is banking on smart investments to unlock bigger returns. One major step forward is the Kampala Water Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation (KW-LV WATSAN) Package 2B Project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD). This project is designed to evacuate up to 48% of water from Katosi to Sonde, passing through Kungu and into large-capacity reservoirs. It includes laying 70km of new pipeline, constructing new reservoirs in Kanyanya and Kabulengwa, rehabilitating existing ones, and building new booster stations at Kungu-Buwate, Kabulengwa, and Mutungo.
When complete, the project will significantly improve supply in some of the most water-stressed areas of Kampala, including Kiira, Kasangati, Kanyanya, Kawempe, Bweyogerere, Kawanda, Gayaza Road, Matugga, Kitezi, Kakunyu, Gombe, Mutungo, Nansana, Kansegenjje, Kabulengwa, and Namusera, among others.
Importantly, stakeholders, from local governments and ministries to affected communities, are already engaged in the process. Sectional handovers are planned, meaning that communities will start seeing results even before the full project concludes in August 2027.
The point is, intermittent supply is a challenge. But it’s not permanent, and as NWSC continues to invest in both infrastructure and people, the future of Kampala’s water supply looks a little less dry and more reliable and sustainable.
