NWSC DEFENDS: Tap water is safe for human consumption

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has assured the public that the piped water it supplies meets World Health Organization (WHO) standards and is safe for consumption—straight from the treatment plants. Speaking during a public engagement meeting in Gulu City, Anthony Opiyo, the Deputy Town Clerk of Pece-Laroo Division, questioned the safety of tap water.

According to Opiyo, he frequently suffers from typhoid when he drinks tap water, a problem he says he does not experience when drinking from boreholes or streams. However, NWSC attributes such infections to secondary contamination—often introduced along the distribution network due to illegal connections, poor plumbing, and consumer negligence.

Proscovia Nyamungu, the NWSC Commercial Officer for Gulu area, said water is rigorously tested at both treatment plants and household levels to ensure safety.

Nyamungu said illegal activities by some community members, including bricklayers who tamper with pipes to draw water without paying, contribute significantly to contamination before water reaches the end user.

She also cited poor household plumbing, unclean water storage tanks, and unsanitary surroundings at water points as key contributors to water contamination. Residents were advised to boil tap water, clean storage tanks regularly, and maintain hygiene around taps to reduce risk of illness.

Ivan Tekakwo, NWSC’s Public Relations Officer, echoed the need for precautionary measures, emphasizing that despite the safety of water at source, contamination en route is a real possibility.

Residents also expressed concern over lack of prior notice during routine tank cleaning exercises, which sometimes results in discolored or dirty water flowing through taps. In response, Nyamungu acknowledged the communication gap and said NWSC is working to improve notification methods through WhatsApp groups and local radio stations.

“If consumers report discolored water, we send a team to collect samples and flush the lines at no extra cost,” she added. Access to clean water remains a major public health issue in Uganda. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 23,000 people—19,700 of them children under five—die each year from diarrhea, largely due to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices. Cholera and other waterborne diseases account for an additional 3,000 deaths annually.

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