A delegation from Sierra Leone is studying NWSC’s water production, distribution, revenue collection and customer service models to identify practices that could improve utility operations in Freetown.
A delegation from Sierra Leone’s Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC), led by Managing Director Ing. Mariwan Kallon, has begun a benchmarking visit to Uganda’s National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to exchange expertise on water supply and sanitation management.
The visit includes technical presentations, discussions and field visits covering the water and sanitation value chain, including strategic and operational performance, water production and distribution, asset and network management, non-revenue water reduction, customer relations, revenue collection, services for low-income communities, and wastewater and faecal sludge management.
The delegation is seeking practical lessons from NWSC’s experience operating water and sanitation services, with particular attention to areas that could inform improvements in Freetown.
The programme includes sessions on asset management, geographical information systems (GIS), infrastructure planning and the operations of key departments, including information technology and billing, the meter service workshop, and urban services for low-income communities.
The team is also scheduled to examine water treatment processes, laboratory operations, service branch management and revenue collection practices.
A key focus is NWSC’s approach to reducing non-revenue water water produced but lost before it generates revenue, including through leakages, metering inaccuracies and unauthorised consumption. The delegation is expected to learn about leak detection, meter management and other measures used to limit water losses.
The visit will also examine NWSC’s approaches to serving low-income urban communities, with the delegation exploring practices that could be adapted to Freetown’s needs.
Beyond technical operations, the programme covers customer care, stakeholder engagement and communication. These areas are important in helping utilities respond to customer concerns, build public trust and reduce resistance to infrastructure projects.
The delegation is also expected to participate in an NWSC Baraza, a forum that provides an opportunity to observe the corporation’s approach to staff communication, accountability, leadership engagement and feedback management.
Guma Valley Water Company is responsible for water supply in Greater Freetown and the wider Western Area. Its work includes initiatives under the Freetown Water and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project, which seeks to improve water supply and sanitation infrastructure and strengthen service delivery. <span></span>