By Philip Oyamo and Lillian Nabasirye
Across many secondary towns in Uganda, water utilities face a familiar challenge: the need to expand services and improve reliability, but with limited capacity to design and present bankable investment projects that can attract funding. Through its advisory support to the Mid-Western Umbrella of Water and Sanitation (MWU), WSUP Advisory set out to change this: helping the utility strengthen its ability to identify, develop, and implement priority infrastructure investments.
Working under a programme objective to strengthen MWU’s creditworthiness and ability to access finance directly, WSUP Advisory partnered closely with MWU’s senior management team and cluster managers to develop a structured pipeline of investment-ready projects.
Rather than imposing solutions, the process emphasised co-creation and local ownership. Cluster managers and their teams first identified projects addressing operational challenges and opportunities for business growth. These proposals were then jointly assessed by MWU leadership and WSUP Advisory against agreed-upon technical, financial, and service impact criteria, followed by feasibility studies and a technical review. This collaborative process resulted in the prioritisation of several high-impact schemes, including projects in Bukuya, Buheesi and Kayinja.
One of the most transformative investments was the Bukuya water supply improvement project, designed to tackle intermittent supply, water quality concerns, and limited-service coverage.
The project combined three complementary components: connecting an existing solar-powered borehole to the national electricity grid to ensure reliable pumping; rehabilitating and extending approximately 8.5 km of pipelines while installing public standposts, operational fittings and chlorination systems; and constructing a 150 m³ reservoir to stabilise supply.
An artisan works at one of the project sites. Image courtesy of the Mid-Western Umbrella of Water and Sanitation.
WSUP Advisory worked with MWU to design and co-finance key elements of the infrastructure while also strengthening the utility’s project management systems to oversee implementation.
Beyond infrastructure, the initiative served as a practical training ground for MWU staff in project planning, procurement, and construction management. Dedicated project structures, including a Project Implementation Unit and Project Management Unit, were established for the first time within the utility, with clearly defined roles from site supervision to executive oversight.
Through hands-on coaching and technical support, MWU teams gained experience conducting feasibility studies, preparing technical designs, documenting progress, and managing procurement and construction processes.
The results are already visible. In Bukuya, daily water production increased from 240 m³ to 400 m³, enabling the utility to serve growing demand. Forty-two new household connections have already been installed, with more expected as connection promotion continues. Improved service reliability has translated into stronger financial performance: monthly water sales increased from around 5,000 m³ to 6,000 m³, while billing rose from an average of UGX 15 million to UGX 22 million, peaking at UGX 24 million monthly.
At the same time, improved chlorination and system upgrades have strengthened compliance with national drinking water quality standards and significantly reduced complaints about water supply interruptions.
For MWU, the impact goes beyond the immediate infrastructure improvements. The process has strengthened the utility’s confidence and internal capacity to develop, manage and deliver investment projects, positioning it to attract and manage larger-scale financing in the future. Staff across the organisation, from the Secretariat to field teams, are now actively sharing lessons from the projects, reflecting a growing culture of ownership and learning.
For funders and development partners, the MWU experience highlights the value of combining technical assistance with practical project delivery. By strengthening the systems and skills utilities need to design and implement bankable investments, WSUP Advisory is helping unlock sustainable pathways to expand safe water services for growing urban populations.
Philip Oyamo is the Principal Consultant, and Lillian Nabasirye is the Resident Programmes Manager at WSUP Advisory CIC.