A team of experts from the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) from Uganda have finalized a working visit to the Hargeisa Water Agency on April 10th, 2025. National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is working with Hargeisa Water Agency on an EU Water Operator project.
The Hargeisa Water Agency and National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have partnered on the EU Water Operator project. This project receives funding from the EU and support from the Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), a UN-Habitat initiative that promotes partnerships between water operators. Through the project, NWSC is mentoring HWA, and the two organizations are collaborating across multiple departments, including the commercial, water production, water quality monitoring (lab), and Center for Digitalization and Water technology. Experts from the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have been mentoring Hargeisa since 2022 and have made seven trips to the city as part of this ongoing mentorship.
Joseph Tweheyo Baine, the expert for Operations and Maintenance, led the EU funded, GWOPA supported experts from Uganda. Mr Joseph noted that the mentoring program pairs a nascent water utility agency with a more established counterpart. This pairing facilitates knowledge transfer, enabling the mature agency to support the development of the younger agency. This is how Hargeisa Water Agency has ended up as the mentee of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). NWCS is assisting HWA to enhance the capacity of the agency by strengthening operations and maintenance of water production and supply infrastructure and also improve the agency’s capabilities in terms of finance, revenue collection and customer satisfaction. The NWCS is sharing their successful strategies and insights with HWA through a tailored training program. The Hargeisa Water Agency and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have created an action plan together with targets to ensure that progress is tracked. Joseph commended the Hargeisa Water Agency staff for their enthusiasm and the improvements he has observed. He noted that the agency's staff consistently exceed expectations during trainings, demonstrating their ability to learn from NWSC and even surpass them.
Emma and the Water Quality Management Department
Water quality must be maintained, Mr Abdirahman Mohamoud Elmi, the head of the Water Quality Control Laboratory pointed out. This is done by pumping treated water from the well to the reservoirs and customer points and conducting testing on those customer points to ensure that clean water reaches the customer. The water safety planning should include the whole supply chain to ensure that clean water reaches the customer. For example if a pipe is cut during maintenance, it's crucial to ensure that the treated water after the pipe is connected because the whole chain can get contaminated when that pipe is exposed.
The Water Quality Control Laboratory led by Mr. Abdirahman Mohamoud Elmi explained to Emma Kyomukama that they have a daily schedule for implementing water monitoring, including where to work and sample, and how to analyze and record the results. However, sometimes they schedule sampling in a district where there is no water on that particular day. Therefore, they cannot implement the testing as planned and must update the schedule accordingly.
During her visit, Emma expressed high praise for the Water Quality Management team at the Hargeisa Water Agency, acknowledging their dedication and hard work in ensuring that the people of Hargeisa have access to clean and safe drinking water. She was particularly impressed with the advanced equipment and technology utilized by the department, noting that it surpassed the equipment used in Uganda. This observation led her to conclude that the Quality Management laboratory at the Hargeisa Water Agency is not only well-equipped but also stands as a leading facility in East Africa, setting a high standard for water quality management in the region.
Rehma Nakibonaka and the Commercial Department
Rehma Nakibonaka, senior customer service monitoring officer for both the National Water and Sewerage Corporation and the GWOPA project, collaborated closely with the commercial department of the Hargeisa Water Agency, led by Khadar Abdirahman. Their primary focus was on enhancing the customer experience through the Customer Care Unit.
A key aspect of this collaboration was the annual customer satisfaction survey conducted by the Customer Care Unit. The survey was meticulously designed by the commercial department to pinpoint specific areas where service improvements could be implemented. Rehma played an assisting role in analyzing the survey results, working alongside the commercial department team to interpret the data and extract actionable insights. The findings of this survey will soon be published and are expected to guide the agency in implementing targeted improvements to elevate the overall customer experience.
Rehma's expertise in customer service monitoring, coupled with the commercial department's in-depth understanding of the agency's customer base, created a synergistic partnership that facilitated a data-driven approach to service enhancement. This collaborative effort exemplifies the agency's commitment to customer-centric service delivery and its proactive approach to continuous improvement.
Engineer Amir Lubega and the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology
The Center for Digitalization and Water Technology has spearheaded the development and implementation of a suite of information systems tailored to the agency's specific needs. These include a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to streamline maintenance operations, a water quality monitoring system to ensure regulatory compliance and public safety, and a customer management information system designed with mobile accessibility in mind to enhance customer service and engagement. A core objective throughout this process has been to guarantee that these systems operate seamlessly and effectively fulfill the requirements of their users.
In collaboration with the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology, Engineer Amir is overseeing the work that has been done by the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology. This integration aims to enable seamless data sharing and provide a holistic, real-time view of the agency's operations, facilitating data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.
Currently, the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology led by IT Expert Barkhad Abdirahman Hashi is focusing on the development of a human resource management system (HRMS). This system is being designed to integrate with existing systems, such as the fingerprint attendance system, to create a comprehensive picture of employee activity and performance. By centralizing and automating HR processes, the team aims to reduce paperwork, minimize administrative overhead, and improve the overall accessibility and usability of the agency's systems for all employees.
Furthermore, the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology remains committed to ongoing system maintenance, optimization, and user support to ensure that all systems continue to meet the evolving needs of the agency and its stakeholders. This includes regular system updates, bug fixes, performance enhancements, and user training sessions. By taking a proactive and user-centric approach to system development and management, the Center for Digitalization and Water Technology is playing a critical role in driving the agency's digital transformation and modernization efforts. Engineer Amir has commended the team on their swift adaption and their nature as quick-learners.
Meeting with the General Manager and Recommendations from the Team of Experts
During the Meeting, Mr Joseph applauded the Hargeisa Water Agency General Manager, Mareeye Mohamed Ali Darood for the very active and enthusiastic staff who have taken advantage of the training and went even beyond. He commended the general manager's engaged leadership style and hands-on approach.
Mr. Joseph also reported to the General Manager that they have recorded a 70% progress since the inception of the project. This significant progress is a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the NWSC team and the Hargeisa Water Agency staff. The collaborative effort has resulted in substantial advancements in various areas, including infrastructure development, capacity building, and service delivery. Mr. Joseph also pointed out that the Hargeisa Water Agency team and the dedication they showed to their responsibilities has had a positive influence on his team.
Mohamed Ali Darood, the General Manager, expressed gratitude to the team leader and the entire team for their support of the Hargeisa Water Agency and the capacity building project that partnered the Hargeisa Water Agency with NWSC. He also reminded the team there are other capacity building projects that are on-going funded by German Development Bank (KfW) and that he would like to avoid any overlap of funding. He said that he would hate to see GWOPA and its second phase project fund a project that the Hargeisa Water Agency already received funding from other sources. Considering the shrinking of the funding appetite of donors, the general manager ensured that he will work closely with GWOPA to make sure that there is no overlap with the already funded project. The General Manager also pointed out that the second phase of the GWOPA should focus on furthering what has been already developed. He also informed the team about the progress with regards to the water expansion project for Hargeisa pointing out that the project will be finalized in the next four months.
Overall, the team commended the Hargeisa Water Agency staff for their dedication to the cause and their ability to quickly learn and implement new strategies. However, in their meeting with the General Manager, Mohamed Ali Darood, the leader of the team, Mr. Joseph, emphasized the need for harmonizing the Water Safety Committee. The team recommended that this committee should consist of all the departments of the agency, insisting that the various departments of the agency work together to ensure water safety. He pointed out that there is often a misconception that water safety is the sole responsibility of the water quality team; in reality, they are only one dimension of it. Mr. Joseph emphasized that the production team, the center of digitalization and its systems, and the commercial team plus the customer satisfaction unit all play key roles in contributing to water safety. The production team ensures the water is treated properly, the center of digitalization monitors water quality and safety through its systems, and the commercial team and customer satisfaction unit educate the public about water safety techniques.
Ema Kyomukama, the water quality expert, has also commented on the water safety planning and the need for harmonization between the entirety of the agency in creating flashing points, sampling points, stand pipes and cleaning schedules. She brought up the fact that as the agency distributes the water, we should always have water safety in mind.
The meeting with the Hargeisa Water Agency General Manager concluded on an excellent note as the team leader, Mr. Joseph gifted the general manager a personal copy of the book “ Making Public Enterprises Work” written by Dr William T. Muhairwe, who led the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) of Uganda from zero to an inspiring institution.
