Residents of Mityana Municipality are grappling with a severe water shortage that has persisted for more than two weeks, disrupting businesses, schools, and household activities while forcing families to spend more money to access clean water.
The prolonged shortage has caused the price of a 20-litre jerrycan of water to rise sharply, from between Shs1,500 and Shs2,000, leaving many residents struggling to meet their daily needs.
Many residents say the crisis has made life increasingly difficult, with some spending several hours each day searching for water instead of engaging in income-generating activities.
“We have spent more than two weeks without a reliable water supply. The little water available is expensive, and our businesses are suffering,” said Abdul Musisi, a resident.
Others accused authorities of failing to provide timely communication whenever water supply interruptions occur.
“The biggest problem is that the water disappears without any prior notice. We are left stranded and do not know when the situation will improve,” said Ruth Kabagambe, a businesswoman.
The water shortage has also affected schools across the municipality, with pupils and students spending valuable learning time searching for water for domestic use.
“We now spend a lot of time looking for water instead of concentrating on our studies. This situation has become unbearable,” one student said.
According to residents, the shortage has affected restaurants, salons, and other small businesses that depend heavily on a stable water supply.
Responding to the concerns, the Mityana Area Manager of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Allen Nantambi, attributed the water crisis to persistent electricity outages in the area.
“Our water production systems depend entirely on electricity. Frequent power interruptions have greatly affected our ability to pump and distribute sufficient water to consumers,” Nantambi explained.
She added that the facility is currently producing far less water than the municipality requires, leading to the ongoing shortages.
“We understand the frustrations of our customers and are working on measures to address the problem and restore normal supply as soon as possible,” she said.
The prolonged water shortage has renewed calls for long-term investments in alternative power sources and improved water infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted supply in Mityana.
Residents have appealed to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation and other relevant authorities to urgently intervene and find a lasting solution, warning that continued water scarcity could worsen public health and economic challenges in the municipality.