National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Managing Director Dr. Eng Silver Mugisha has asked Danish pump maker Grundfos to partner with National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) to manufacture pumps and spare parts in Uganda. This request was made during a meeting on the sidelines of the International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress and Exhibition in Glasgow, Scotland. Dr. Mugisha emphasized the importance of local production to reduce long waits for parts shipped from abroad.
Dr. Mugisha told Grundfos executives that NWSC imports spare parts for most of its pumps, which often leads to delays. He suggested that with NEC producing these spares, they can have a network supplying Africa. NEC has the capacity to produce the parts, and other African utilities could buy from the Ugandan supply line. Dr. Mugisha asked Grundfos to set up an in-house manufacturing plant with NEC to assemble pump parts locally.
Dr. Mugisha also requested Grundfos to study NWSC's hydraulic systems and design energy-efficient pumps for the utility and the East African market. Additionally, he asked the company to work with NWSC on technology such as prepaid meters for the Ugandan market. NWSC is moving towards competence-based training and wants to draw on Grundfos's experience in electromechanical engineering to build the capacity of Ugandan engineers.
Grundfos officials pledged to look into the request and outlined a financing model under which the company would recover its investment from savings generated by more efficient pumps. They also expressed willingness to work with NWSC to reduce energy use, costs, and non-revenue water. The company could develop intelligent pumps and systems that detect faults automatically.
In a separate meeting with the World Bank, Dr. Mugisha presented NWSC's performance, including audited financial reports, which demonstrate the utility's creditworthiness. NWSC is seeking long-term, low-cost financing to invest in infrastructure expansion, operating efficiency, energy efficiency, sanitation promotion, and reducing non-revenue water. Dr. Mugisha emphasized the need for flexible funding to allow NWSC to carry out its own engineering designs and implement community-based models.
World Bank officials described NWSC as a well-performing utility and said the bank would assess risk and could support the corporation if it is able to implement projects on its own. The bank works with local banks in Africa and would consider working through Ugandan lenders. The officials said the bank funds government utilities through bonds and grants for projects addressing climate change and building water and sanitation infrastructure.
At the Gates Foundation, Dr. Mugisha asked for support for NWSC's research and development agenda, its sanitation initiatives, and the 50 Towns Water Supply Improvement Project. He also requested support for the African Water and Sanitation Academy, which Uganda hosts and which has the potential to address water and sanitation challenges across Africa. Gates Foundation officials pledged to support Uganda's preparations for the IWA Water and Development Congress.
Key points
- Dr. Silver Mugisha seeks partnership with Grundfos to manufacture pumps and spare parts in Uganda.
- NWSC is seeking long-term, low-cost financing from the World Bank to invest in infrastructure expansion and sanitation promotion.
- The Gates Foundation pledged to support Uganda's preparations for the IWA Water and Development Congress.
