Assessing the reliability of water distribution system of NWSC-Nagongera branch Tororo area.

Abstract

The provision of adequate and reliable water supply in developing countries is becoming a challenge for most water utilities especially national water and sewerage corporation. The existence of an information gap regarding the assessment of utility performance and a lack of focus on consumer’s perceptions regarding the efficiency of service provision formed the basis of this research. The aim was to investigate performance indicators that would best reflect the efficiency of the Nagongera town Council and to assess the perceptions from the end customers. The methodology employed included literature and documentary review and participatory methods such as customer survey questionnaire and key informant/customer interviews. The relative performance of the utility was analysed based on the Overall Efficiency Indicator (OEI) which is a function of unaccounted for water and collection ratio. The data obtained from the customer survey questionnaires were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The research analysis revealed that Nagongera Town council water distribution network best performance was achieved only at early stages when the population of customers was still low. The study revealed that, the system had a number of factors affecting its performance which include seasonal water shortages, customer affordability, aged pipes, poorly installed network components such as booster pumps, tapings. It was concluded that the system performance is below expectations of best practice targets. The most cited problems arising from the perceived lack of response to burst water pipes, the lack of forewarning and explanation for water cuts and the perceived high current cost of water.