KAMPALA – The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has introduced a stricter disconnection policy aimed at recovering outstanding payments from customers and ensuring sustainable service delivery. The new policy, which takes effect immediately, eliminates paper disconnection notices and instead uses SMS notifications to inform customers of impending disconnection.
Tough New Measures
Under the new policy, NWSC will physically remove a customer’s water meter from the ground if their account is in arrears, regardless of whether the most recent bill is overdue. The meter will only be reinstalled once the customer clears their account balance in full. NWSC officials say the decision is necessary to mobilize internal funds to support critical infrastructure expansion and service upgrades.
Rationale Behind the Policy
With thousands of new connections planned in underserved areas, NWSC says it’s essential that customers who are already connected meet their obligations. The payments are crucial for maintaining infrastructure, improving water quality, and extending access to more Ugandans. The corporation has expanded its network rapidly, connecting millions of households in both urban and rural areas, but the increased service footprint has also brought rising operational costs and a significant backlog in bill collections.
Digital Transformation
By leveraging digital technology to manage disconnections and customer communication, NWSC hopes to improve efficiency and responsiveness while reducing disputes over billing and enforcement procedures. The corporation is urging customers to settle their bills promptly and update their phone numbers to ensure they receive timely SMS notifications.
Customer Advisory
NWSC encourages customers to remain vigilant, read their bills, and pay on time to avoid the inconvenience of disconnection. The corporation maintains that these reforms are not punitive but necessary for long-term financial stability. As more communities are connected, NWSC says it must enforce compliance to ensure every shilling collected is reinvested into expanding access and modernizing the water supply system.
Source:PML Daily