In fulfilling its mandate, National Water and Sewerage Corporation promotes an integrated approach in a way that is sustainable and most beneficial to all urban communities regardless of their socio-economic status. Despite the commercial orientation of its operation the Corporation has a social mission to fulfill in line with government objective of increasing safe water coverage to the entire population.
For that reason, NWSC’s call to serve the poor by formulating a policy focused on serving the Urban Poor communities, was inevitable. The main objective of the policy is to provide guidelines in the implementation of sustainable provision of service to the urban poor (planning and operationalization).
The Urban Poor are by virtue of their socio-economic background, lives in the water supply areas characterized by depriving aspects of life conditions such as; mode of income and subsistence, settlement and environment, lack of basic necessities, lack of social services and more so access to clean and safe water. Poor households do not own any land and they are squatters on land owned by others. As a result, they live in unplanned congested or clustered informal settlements. (Crowding index of 0.25 to 14 people). Their habitat environment is eminently unhealthy with poor sanitation.
The justification for NWSC to serve the poor is based on the fact that; The human right to water and sanitation is enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995). “The state shall endeavor to fulfill the fundamental rights of all Ugandans to social justice and economic
development and shall, in particular, ensure that all Ugandans enjoy rights and opportunities and access to clean and safe water.
The Water Act Chap 152, of the constitution, also makes provision for NWSC to serve the urban poor.
There is also the Government policy of Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP), 2004, emphasizes government intervention in poverty eradication which is relevant to the water sector, like ensuring the supply of water as a public good to all citizens of Uganda, as a way of reducing inequality among the people.
Not forgetting the contribution to (SDG), no. 6 and no. 7; access to water and sanitation as one of the “quick wins”.
Recognizing that the urban poor customers are more likely to access water through shared facilities, the tariffs have been set favorably and affordable to the poor communities. The PSP/Yard tap tariff through which the Urban poor communities access water is the lowest in the NWSC tariff
structure, set at 25shs per 20 liter jerican.
Compiled By: JB Otema (Manager Pro-poor Services and Community Collaboration)
