Faced with a fast rate of urbanization and population growth, national and local governments are finding it difficult to provide essential services such as safe drinking water and sanitation, especially in the socioeconomic context of lower and middle-income countries. Performing utilities have a key role to play in accelerating access to water and sanitation to all in compliance with Goal 6 of the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals. The best approach must take into account all forms of capital — social, technological, financial, political and cultural. How can the utilities transition to better serve the populations, particularly the poor? Chief Executive Officer Silver Mugisha of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation of Uganda (NWSC), who will be giving a keynote address on Sept. 17 at the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition 2018, shares the best ways to address the institutional issues and meet the new challenges.

Question: What is required to improve access to drinking water and sanitation for periurban areas and secondary centers, which would make it possible to better fight against poverty? What needs to change?

Mugisha: Improving access to drinking water and sanitation for periurban areas and secondary centers requires a joint and concerted effort by all stakeholders involved, including the government, utilities and communities. There is a need for all stakeholders to refocus their priorities and implement aggressive measures to accelerate service provision in these areas. In the case of the NWSC, prior to 2013, the corporation operated in only 23 towns. Working together with all stakeholders and closely collaborating with the government, we changed our focus and prioritized acceleration of access to safe water for all. Currently, the NWSC is operating in 240 large and secondary centers. This has only been possible with the dedicated support and engagement of all stakeholders, including government and communities.