NWSC launches a new Billing Improvement Programme

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has launched a new Billing Improvement Programme aimed at strengthening commercial performance and improving revenue collection across its operatio nal areas.

The programme was unveiled during a commercial performance workshop that brought together senior management and area commercial teams to align operational targets with the Corporation’s financial sustainability goals.

Opening the workshop, the Senior Manager for Revenue and Government Accounts said billing remains the backbone of NWSC’s operations, noting that while significant efforts have been made by commercial teams, persistent gaps continue to affect overall performance. He said the new programme is designed to address these gaps and deliver measurable improvements.

Director of Regional Operations, Dr. Charles Ekure, urged teams to tighten operational discipline by auditing databases, stopping billing of untraceable accounts, and benchmarking against neighbouring utilities. He also emphasized the need to strengthen billing and collections while reducing Non-Revenue Water, which he described as a major drain on the Corporation’s finances.

Senior Director of Financial Services, Dr. Charles Okuonzi, observed that although NWSC appears financially stable on paper, weaknesses in revenue collection remain a concern. He said the workshop was intended to equip teams with practical strategies to improve billing efficiency and cash inflows.

Presenting the Corporation’s performance outlook, Deputy Managing Director for Finance and Corporate Strategy, Mr. Francis Owot, said both income and production growth currently stand at three per cent. He noted that increased water production directly supports improved billing, citing completed supply projects as contributors to recent gains.

Mr. Owot said the Billing Improvement Programme is anchored in production and sales enhancement plans and called on area teams to fully implement agreed actions to achieve set targets. He added that management would continue coordinating and monitoring action plans, while providing financial support where necessary. He also confirmed the approval of several transmission main extensions aimed at improving billing performance in affected areas.

Mr. Arinaitwe reported that a three-month pilot of BICEP I, involving 20 areas that collectively billed UGX 200 million, recorded improvements in water production, billing, collections, debt age reduction, and staff morale. Notable progress was registered in Mbale, Bugiri, Kapeeka, Rushere, Masindi, and Arua.

Building on the pilot’s success, BICEP II has been rolled out to refocus teams on business fundamentals, including role clarity, operational consistency, customer focus, cash control, and data-driven decision-making.

Guest of Honour, Deputy Managing Director for Technical Services Eng. Johnson Amayo, emphasized the importance of reducing debt age, particularly for government accounts, warning that declining billing and collections could undermine the Corporation’s wider objectives.

The workshop also featured the presentation of Billing Improvement Programme Excellence Awards, recognizing outstanding commercial performance across operational areas. Kapeeka and Rushere emerged as top performers in the billing above and below UGX 200 million categories respectively.

The event concluded with area teams signing commitment agreements, pledging full implementation of BICEP II as NWSC intensifies efforts to improve revenue collection and sustain service delivery.