National Water & Sewerage Corporation

What National Water & Sewerage Corporation does

National Water & Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is a Public Corporation wholly owned by the Government of Uganda, established by Decree No. 34 of 1972 and operating under NWSC Act, Cap. 204, Laws of Uganda. It holds the statutory mandate to provide water and sewerage services in urban areas of Uganda on a sound commercial and financially viable basis. NWSC extracts raw water from lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, springs and production wells, treats it to WHO/UNBS standards at plants including the 160,000 m³/day Katosi facility, and distributes 507 million litres daily through more than 10,406 km of network to 1,055,179 active water connections. It also collects and treats approximately 40 million litres of wastewater daily across 18 towns with sewerage systems and 7 towns with Faecal Sludge Treatment Facilities, including the 45,000 m³/day Nakivubo plant.

The corporation serves approximately 21 million people across 287 urban centres in 96 districts, organised under 75 Administrative Areas within five regional structures (Kampala Metropolitan, Central, Northern, Eastern, Western & South Western) supported by 231 branch offices. Customer segments span residential (domestic tariff, including 31,204 active pro-poor connections under SCAP100), commercial, institutional (hospitals, schools, government), industrial (12 industrial parks served at a preferential tariff of UGX 2,500/m³), and public standpipe operators. Revenue is generated primarily through subscription-style monthly and annual tariffs across these categories, with annual indexation on 1 July, supplemented by consultancy/training services delivered through IREC and WESREC facilities and by-product sales of organic manure under the 'Manure For You' brand. Digital distribution includes a mobile app, e-services portal, direct debit, 18 partner banks and 6 mobile money platforms.

In FY 2024/25 NWSC recorded turnover of UGX 649 billion (up from UGX 622 billion in FY 2023/24), profit of UGX 32 billion, EBITDA of UGX 161.5 billion and tax remittance of UGX 24 billion, against a UGX 5.04 trillion asset base. Service coverage has expanded from 20% in 1990 to 80% in 2026, with a stated target of 95% by 2029. Operational indicators include 34% non-revenue water (target 28%), 80% customer satisfaction and 78% staff engagement. The corporation employs 5,751 staff (4,488 permanent plus 830 casual and 433 local security personnel) and is led by Managing Director Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, who in 2024 received the IWA's highest honour for water management.

Name

National Water & Sewerage Corporation

Legal name

National Water & Sewerage Corporation

Website

https://nwsc.co.ug

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

National Water & Sewerage Corporation is the Government of Uganda-owned public utility providing water and sewerage services to 21 million people across 287 urban centres, operating 1,055,179 water connections and treating 507 million litres of water and 40 million litres of wastewater daily under a statutory mandate established in 1972.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Sewerage Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Wastewater Collection (Sewer Networks) (BPALAMAA), Raw Water Conveyance & Transmission (Aqueducts, Mains, Pumping Stations) (EUANAAAB), Gravity Sewer Collection Networks (Sanitary Sewers) (EUANACAA), Sewer Pump/Lift Stations & Wet Wells (EUANACAC)

Keywords

• Water supply services
• Wastewater treatment
• Sewerage services
• Public water utility
• Water infrastructure management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Services: Revenue from water supply services to residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers. Water is produced at 507 million liters daily and distributed through 1,055,179 water connections.
2. Sewerage Services: Collection and treatment of wastewater from customers. NWSC operates centralized and decentralized sewerage systems in 18 towns and Faecal Sludge Treatment Facilities in 7 towns, treating approximately 40 million liters daily.
3. Consultancy Services: Provision of consultancy, technical assistance, and capacity development services to water utilities across Africa and beyond. Includes conferencing and training facilities at IREC and WESREC.
4. Manure Sales: Sale of treated sewage sludge as organic manure for agricultural use, transforming waste into value through environmentally sustainable organic manure supporting healthier soils.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Water & Sewerage Corporation is a public utility that extracts, treats, and distributes potable water to residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers across Uganda, producing 507 million liters daily through 1,055,179 water connections in 287 urban centres. It also collects and treats approximately 40 million liters of wastewater daily through centralized and decentralized sewerage systems and faecal sludge treatment facilities. Additional offerings include consultancy and capacity development services to other African utilities, water quality testing reports, and the sale of organic manure produced from treated sewage sludge.

Product overview

National Water & Sewerage Corporation operates as a public utility providing integrated water and sewerage services across Uganda. The service portfolio centers on core water production (extracting, treating, and distributing 507 million liters daily) and wastewater management (treating 40 million liters daily), delivered through physical infrastructure in 287 towns. Digital service delivery is enabled through the NWSC Mobile App and NWSC E-Services online portal, which support bill payment, account management, new connection applications, and meter reading submissions. Additional offerings include Water Quality Testing Services and published Water Quality Reports for transparency. The corporation generates value from waste through its Manure For You product (organic fertilizer from treated sewage) and provides consultancy services to African utilities through IREC and WESREC. Tariff categories include Public Standpipe, Domestic, Commercial, and Institutional. The Service Coverage Acceleration Project (SCAP 100) drives rural expansion with Pro-poor connections. Core infrastructure includes Katosi Water Treatment Plant (160,000 m3/day), Nakivubo Wastewater Treatment Plant (45,000 m3/day), and the Kampala Water Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Project (KW-LVWATSAN).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NWSC: Primary commercial brand/trading name for National Water & Sewerage Corporation
• IREC
• WESREC
• SCAP100
• Manure For You
• Kampala Water

Products and services

• Water Supply Services Core water production and distribution service extracting raw water from Lakes, Rivers, Streams, Swamps, Springs, and Production Wells; treating to WHO Quality Standards; and distributing through 1,055,179 water connections to serve residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial customers across 287 urban centres in Uganda, producing 507 million liters daily.
• Sewerage Services Wastewater collection and treatment services operating centralized and decentralized sewerage systems in 18 towns and Faecal Sludge Treatment Facilities in 7 towns, treating approximately 40 million liters of wastewater daily across 31,403 sewer connections.
• NWSC Mobile App Official mobile application enabling customers to pay water bills, monitor accounts, report faults, submit meter readings, and receive service updates. Available on Google Play and Apple Store.
• NWSC E-Services Online Portal Online web portal providing electronic access for customers to manage water accounts, pay bills, download payment slips, apply for new connections, and submit meter readings.
• Water Quality Testing Services Laboratory testing services assessing chemical, physical, biological, and radiological characteristics of water to ensure safety and compliance with WHO and UNBS standards.
• Manure For You (Organic Fertilizer) Organic fertilizer product derived from treated sewage waste, sold to support agricultural productivity with delivery options ranging from pickup (20,000 UGX) to lorry loads (240,000 UGX), transforming waste into value for agricultural use.
• NWSC Consultancy Services External consultancy services including technical assistance, capacity development, professional training, conferencing, and benchmarking for water utilities across Africa and beyond, delivered through IREC and WESREC facilities.
• New Water Connection Service Online application service for requesting new residential, commercial, or institutional water connections with a streamlined digital application process, including 25,389 pro-poor connections delivered under SCAP100.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% coverage by 2026 (up from 20% in 1990)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration23 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Water Association (IWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC's Managing Director Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha serves as a Fellow of IWA and former Vice President. The corporation maintains active engagement in IWA activities and networks.
• African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC participates in AfWASA congress and activities. Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha served as former Vice President of AfWASA, facilitating knowledge sharing across African water utilities.
• Young Water Professionals (YWPs) UgandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC engages with Young Water Professionals Uganda Chapter for youth development and capacity building in the water sector.
• School Water & Sanitation Clubs (SWAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC supports school-based water and sanitation clubs for community education and outreach.
• Water Community Sensitization Clubs (WACOSE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC engages community sensitization clubs for water conservation and sanitation awareness programs.
• Buy Uganda, Build Uganda Policy PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWSC engages local manufacturers and contractors in line with Buy Uganda, Build Uganda policy. Over 450 suppliers provide key inputs including pipes, fittings, tanks, engineering materials, civil works and maintenance services.

Scale indicators21 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company: Utility serving Nairobi and surrounding areas with water and sewerage services. Comparable regional peer with similar urban East African context, customer-mix challenges, and infrastructure-expansion priorities.
• Ghana Water Company Limited: Ghana's national urban water utility responsible for water supply across the country. Closely comparable as a state-mandated African urban water utility with a similar mix of bulk treatment, distribution networks, and coverage-expansion mandate.
• Rand Water: South Africa's bulk water utility supplying potable water across Gauteng and surrounding areas. Highly comparable as a large-scale African water treatment and distribution utility operating regulated infrastructure at national scale.
• Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA): Tanzania's parastatal water and sewerage authority for the Dar es Salaam region. Comparable as an East African state-owned utility with similar urban water and wastewater service mandate, tariff structure, and donor-funded capex profile.
• Lilongwe Water Board: Malawi's urban water board serving Lilongwe and surrounding areas. Comparable as an African state-mandated urban water utility with similar scale, NRW challenges, and donor-supported capex programme.
• Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) Rwanda: Rwanda's national water and sanitation utility operating urban water and sewerage networks. Comparable as a state-owned East African utility pursuing aggressive coverage expansion in a similar regulatory and donor-funding environment.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions: Global water and wastewater services group operating across municipal and industrial segments worldwide. Comparable as an established incumbent that operates and advises on water infrastructure at scale, but with a much broader portfolio and geographic spread.
• American Water Works Company: Largest publicly-traded US water and wastewater utility serving over 14 million people. Comparable as a regulated water utility operator with similar subscription-based revenue model, though operating in a mature developed-market regulatory environment.
• Suez Water Technologies & Solutions: International water services and technology provider with municipal and industrial operations globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same water/wastewater operating space, though operating at much larger scale and across many more geographies.

Others

• African Water and Sanitation Association (AfWASA): Continental association of African water and sanitation utilities and stakeholders. NWSC's MD is a former Vice President; relevant as the industry body that channels knowledge sharing, benchmarking, and consultancy opportunities across African utilities.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nwscug
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nwscug6427
• Facebookfacebook.com/waterug
• Instagraminstagram.com/nwscug

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Water & Sewerage Corporation