Eronda
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
- 1,157
- 590
The Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Dr. Silver Mugisha, has attributed the recurring damage to roads caused by water pipe works to poor infrastructure planning and the encroachment of road reserves.
Appearing before Parliament's Committee on Physical Infrastructure, Mugisha explained that water pipelines often end up being laid beneath completed roads because there is no designated space set aside for utility infrastructure. He noted that areas originally reserved for such services have in many cases been occupied by private developments, leaving utility providers with limited options.
According to Mugisha, the absence of dedicated utility corridors creates challenges whenever NWSC needs to repair, replace, or expand water networks, often necessitating the excavation of roads that have already been constructed.
He urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to incorporate utility corridors into road designs from the planning stage to prevent future disruptions and reduce maintenance costs.
"How I wish that every time they are designing a road, they include a space for utility corridors," Mugisha told lawmakers.
The proposal aims to improve coordination between infrastructure agencies and ensure that roads, water pipelines, electricity lines, and other utilities can coexist without frequent interference. Stakeholders believe that establishing dedicated utility corridors could help preserve road quality, reduce costly repairs, and enhance service delivery across the country.