Residents and businesses in Mityana town, central Uganda, have been grappling with a severe water shortage that has lasted over a week, following a major breakdown at the town’s main water supply station.
The disruption has left taps dry across the municipality, prompting a sharp rise in water prices and straining daily life. In central parts of town, a 20-litre jerrycan now sells for between UGX 1,000 and UGX 1,500, while in outlying areas such as Katakala and Mizigo, residents are paying up to UGX 2,000 per jerrycan.
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“This is unsustainable. I only sell drinks, and buying water at such a high cost means I’m running at a loss,” said Rose Namaganda, a shop attendant in the town. “We are pleading with the authorities to step in urgently.”
Local businesses have also been hard-hit, with many forced to reduce operations or temporarily close. Salons, restaurants, and small eateries are among the worst affected.
“We can’t serve customers without water. It’s been days of lost income,” said Christine Nalweyiso, who runs a small restaurant. “The National Water and Sewerage Corporation should introduce a system to alert us in advance of outages so we can prepare.”
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has attributed the crisis to a critical pump failure at the Nakatongole water station. Allen Nantambi, NWSC’s Mityana area manager, said technicians are working non-stop to resolve the issue.
“We understand the disruption this has caused. Our team is on-site, and we expect the normal water supply to resume by Friday,” she said.
Despite the ongoing repairs, frustration remains high among residents, who are calling for long-term solutions. Many say the town’s growing population and rising demand for clean water require urgent infrastructure improvements and a more reliable backup system to prevent similar crises in the future.
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