NWSC defends water charges
By Chris Mugasha
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have reiterated that the charges they levy on water remains the cheapest.
The Managing Director Eng. Dr. Silver Mugisha said it is surprising to find that Ugandans complain over the money they spend on water but they never complain on the costs that the beer manufacturing companies levy on a bottle of beer and other types of alcohol.
Mugisha urged people to be considerate by looking at the money they spend on just a bottle of beer and the money they spend on a 20 little water jellycan.
Mugisha was on Monday addressing local leaders of Bushenyi district during a one day stakeholder engagement meeting at WESREC in Ishaka in Bushenyi district. The meeting aimed at fostering collaboration, improve service delivery and address operational challenges.
It also aimed at briefing the stakeholders on the status of the implementation of water supply stabilization projects in Bushenyi to increase water supply coverage and also sharing with the stakeholders about NWSC performance milestone, its strategic plans, identifying customer needs/ challenges.
“The Shs4, 000-shs5,000= which you spend on a bottle of beer, for us we give you 40-50 jellycans of water for the same amount!” Mugisha explained as he compared the costs of water and beer. At public taps water goes for just Shs 25= which includes everything, according to Mugisha. For domestic, a jellycan goes for Shs100.
“The cost of production which includes electricity, chemicals, workers….. is shs72= to produce a jelly can of water,” he explained adding that, “we later sell it at shs100 (domestic use) and shs25= for low income earners (public taps)”
“Why do you want to buy beer expensively and you want water to be free?” he wondered. Water and beer; what is more important and what should be given priority?” he wondered.
Mugisha told the stakeholders to sensitize people that they should not only look at the cost but they should also look at the quantity and quality that they are buying. “If you want to reduce on the water costs/bill, don’t only look at the bills, also look at the quantity that you are using because the more quantities used the more money it will take you,” he explained.
The Bushenyi NWSC Area Manager Eng. Sam Kiggundu told the gathering that in a move to mitigate water supply in water stressed areas, they have so far completed a number of projects which have already started to beef up the water supply. They include; Warugo Water project, Bweranyangi mini water supply project, Irembezi mini water supply project ( Nyamiko booster), Kahungye mini water supply system ( Kahungye booster), Katungu mini water supply ( katungu booster).
“Once all these projects are fully completed, the water supply coverage in Bushenyi will be over 90%,” Kigundu said.
Mugisha said NWSC is a public service entity and therefore for NWSC to fulfill its strategic performance plans; community local leadership , customers ‘ needs and challenges take its institutional strategic interest.
He reminded people that NWSC is only supposed to supply water to areas gazetted by Ministry by water and Environment stressing that, “in some areas we have gone beyond the targeted areas to deliver safe and clean water to Ugandans.”
The district Bushenyi District and Bushenyi/Ishaka municipality leaders commended President Yoweri Museveni for having appointed Mugisha whom they said he has turned around the water agency. “Gone are the days when piped water/safe and clean water was a reserve for the urban dwellers,” said Jaffari Bassajjabalaba the Bushenyi district chairman.
“For a project like Warugo water project, once commissioned it will cause a total water revolution in our Bushenyi district and the neighboring areas,” said the district woman MP Annet Katusiime. End.
