Context
Over the last decade, Uganda has made enormous improvements to the water supply and sanitation provisions for its population. However, although more than 70% of urban residents now have access to water and sanitation services, the high rate of population growth and increasing urbanisation mean that the access is still inadequate, especially in the poorer areas of towns and cities. This, combined with the growing pollution of the water resources, poses one of the biggest barriers to development in the country.
Objective
The preconditions for pro-poor, sustainably performing provision of urban water and sanitation have been improved.
Approach
The reform of the Ugandan water sector is aimed at strengthening independent regulation and building efficient supply structures. It also focuses on the provision of sanitation services, and on waste water management, water resources management and climate adaptation. Germany is providing support in line with the priorities set by the Ugandan Government (Vision 2020, National Development Plan, pro-poor strategy), while building on earlier German water programmes dating back to 2002.
Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment is both the lead executing agency and the most important implementing partner. The parastatal utility, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), is the partner responsible for providing technical and vocational training for the skilled workers. The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) acts as an interface for ensuring basic sanitation services in the city. The the following approaches and measures are being carried out as part of the programme:
• Development of an independent regulatory authority, which is crucial for sustainable, pro-poor provisions. In addition, there are plans for a comprehensive restructuring of the urban supply areas in order to establish regional supply structures (clustering).
• Dissemination of practically tested approaches to sanitation provision, which draws on urban sanitation plans that prioritise town-wide coverage as well as sustainable operation of the infrastructure.
• With the support of German international cooperation, the KCCA is to assume a leading role in coordinating the sanitation system and faecal sludge management. To protect the water quality of Lake Victoria, the programme is enhancing cooperation between public and private actors. Among other benefits, this is helping to increase the efficacy of the new sewage works, installed in part with German international cooperation funding.
• On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ has provided significant support for drafting a national capacity development strategy for the water sector. In the urban context, this focuses on the provision of technical training for operations and maintenance, the development of the NWSC training centre, and the creation of partnerships with German companies, among others. At the same time, the proportion of women taking part in the training courses is to be increased.
• GIZ is supporting the newly formed Uganda National Meteorological Authority in building up its weather forecasting systems and meteorological services. USAID is providing additional support for these measures through a combined financing arrangement.
Results achieved so far
The regulatory department in the Ministry of Water and Environment, which was formed with the support of GIZ, and the introduction of basic regulatory instruments (tariffs, business plans, performance assessment) have resulted in greater cost coverage on the part of private water operators, as well as the demonstrable supply of water to an additional 150,000 people.
Successful models have been developed for the provision of sanitation in the capital city Kampala and in a number of smaller towns. These can now be introduced on a wider scale. USAID is also providing additional support for these measures through a combined financing arrangement.
Furthermore, the programme’s support for the coordination of industrial wastewater has contributed to the increased efficiency of state supervision. In the long term, this should lead to a reduction in the pollution of Lake Victoria, Kampala’s most important drinking water reservoir.