I’ll take my water prepaid !
The Kampala Integrated Environmental Planning and Management Project (KIEMP) aims to improve the quality of life for the residents of the slums of Kampala. One very important aspect is access to affordable clean water. The solution that the project has adopted from another development organisation is brilliant in its simplicity: a prepaid water meter.
Before the project was launched, the residents of a number of parishes in Kampala had to rely on either scattered springs or on water through a standard connection. These springs are protected, but the groundwater in Kampala is so polluted by the many latrines that it is absolutely unadvisable to use it for anything but washing and cleaning.
Families can also connect to the water supply via the Ugandan water company, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), but that generally doesn't last long. At the end of the month, when the bill is sent out, there is often no money to pay it, and the water is immediately cut off. These families are then forced to turn to water vendors who naturally charge hefty fees for the water that comes from their taps.
With the prepaid water meter, families finally have access to clean and affordable water, day and night. The water from the prepaid water meter has the same quality as the standard tap water, and this water is perfectly drinkable once it has been boiled. But there is one major difference: this water is truly inexpensive. Just 20 Ugandan shillings (less than 1 eurocent) for a 20 litre jerrycan. That is an amount that even the poorest families can afford.
Adding water credit
How does it work exactly? At the local office of the water company, you can pick up a token, for which you pay a security deposit. You can upload credit to this token, just like you would with a Proton card. It is also possible to upload very small amounts, and that is important for the residents of the slums in Kampala. You can upload credit at the water company, or through neighbourhood residents who have been appointed by the water company and have a special device. Once you have replenished your token, you can obtain water from the water meter, which also tells you the amount of credit left on your token.
KIEMP financed the prepaid water meters and selected the locations. The land owners in the slums voluntarily donated a patch of land on which to install the meters. The water company offers the (subsidised) water and is responsible for the maintenance of the meters. Users can call a toll-free number or go directly to the water company offices to report defects.
Of course there is always room for improvement. Sometimes the prepaid water meters break down. Sometimes people who try to collect water free damage them. Despite the toll-free telephone number, people at times still contact the project. Then we have to explain that they also need to take their responsibility: that is, calling the toll-free number and perhaps also putting a bit of pressure on the water company to repair the meter as quickly as possible.
Ineke Adriaens
BTC Junior Assistant in Uganda
