Country Profile Regulation Country Dashboards Tariffs Uganda is a landlocked country situated in East Africa. It borders Tanzania to the south, South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, DR Congo to the west, and Rwanda to the southwest. The country includes a significant part of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, and shares it with Tanzania and Kenya. Uganda is divided into four regions and 136 districts. Districts are further subdivided, depending on the type of area. Urban areas are divided into municipal and town councils while rural areas are into sub-counties, parishes, and villages. Country Overview Year Figure Population 2021 47,123,533 Country Area (km2) 2021 241,550 GDP (billion USD) 2021 40.43 GDP per capita (USD) 2021 858.1 World Bank Income Group 2022 Low Income World Bank Region 2022 Sub-Saharan Africa Source: World Bank Data Uganda Water and Wastewater Structure Water sector in Uganda is managed and supervised at the national level, by the Ministry of Water and Environment and related departments dedicated to water service regulation and quality. Water authorities, appointed to provide water services in designated areas, include National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) and Umbrella Water Authorities (as Regional Utilities and Local Governments, such as town councils, sub-counties, and regional growth centers (RGCs)). National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), a public utility 100% owned by the government of Uganda, is focused on the provision of water services in large urban areas, including the capital city Kampala. Utility’s current service provision includes 262 urban centers across the country and several selected RGSs, serving more than 15 million people. Umbrella Water Authorities (UWA) cover areas outside of NWSC service and contain numerous public water authorities in the regions of Central, Eastern, Northern, South-West, Mid- Western and Karamoja. They are responsible for the management of the piped water systems. Local governments, such as town councils and sub-counties are responsible for the provision of water supply in small towns and RGCs, through their appointed Water Supply and Sewerage Boards (WSSB). Authority Level Role Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) National Responsible for overall development, management and regulation of water and environmental resources in Uganda. Directorate of Water Development (DWD) National Responsible for providing overall technical oversight for the planning, implementation, and supervision of urban and rural water and sanitation services, and water production across the country. Water Utility and Regulation Department (WURD) National A department under DWD, responsible for regulation of water authorities that are managing piped water systems – NWSC and Umbrella Water Authorities. National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) National National water utility, responsible for the management of piped water systems mainly in large urban areas and some rural growth centers (RGC). Umbrella Water Authorities (UWA) Regional Six UWAs that serve 424 towns in their designated areas – East, North, Midwest, Southwestern, Central and Karamoja. Number of WSS Service Providers 7 Ownership Public Service Type Mostly Water Geographic Scope National and Regional There is no independent economic regulator for water services in Uganda. The Water Utility and Regulation Department (WURD), under the MWE, and part of the Directorate of Water Development (DWD), serves as a regulatory body with a range of responsibilities. Some of WURD’s functions include: Defining and monitoring key performance indicators Reviewing utilities’ business plans Approving the tariffs Collecting technical and commercial data Resolving customer complaints Regulation of water authorities is defined in a performance contract between MWE and Water Authority, as instructed by Cap 152 of the Water Act. The contract contains detailed terms of reference and service targets that the authority must achieve, with the aim of improving water utility performance. Since 2000, NWSC has worked under performance contracts with the government, each of which covered three years. Each contract required achieving certain targets such as decreasing non-revenue water and inactive connections, increasing billing efficiency, etc. Mission To ensure that effective regulation of water supply service provision enables sustainable, reliable, affordable, and non-discriminative service delivery to all Ugandans. Water and Wastewater Regulations Legislation and Policies Year Description National Water Policy 1999 Provides the overall policy framework for water resources management and development in Uganda. Water Act (Cap 152) 1997 Provides for the use, protection, and management of water resources and supply; provides for the constitution of water and sewerage authorities; and facilitates the devolution of water supply and sewerage undertakings. NWSC Act (Cap 317) 1995 Revises the objectives, powers, and structure of the NWSC and enables the utility to operate and provide water and sewerage services on a sound commercial and viable basis. Local Government Act (Cap 243) 1998 Provides for the decentralization of functions, powers, responsibilities, and services to local governments. Areas of Regulation Areas Water Utility and Regulation Department (WURD) Tariff Calculation No Tariff Approval Yes Licensing Water and/or Wastewater Service Providers No Business plans approvals Yes Performance indicators monitoring Yes Economic Data Collection Yes Technical Data Collection Yes Coming Soon Utility Date Tariff Link National Water and Sanitation Company July 2022 Tariff A more complete list of tariffs can be found at IBNET Tariff Database - Uganda