CO-Support Utility transition in Uganda Refugees in Uganda have the right to work and access basic services, but local populations have already been facing great economic and environmental challenges; therefore, the influx of refugee put further pressure on the public health, sanitation, and education.As of June 2023, only 22% of the Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan (UCRRP) was funded which leaves humanitarian partners overstretched, unable to create economic opportunities for refugees to graduate out of poverty or ensure delivery of life-saving assistance. The impact of underfunding has severe implications for refugees and the communities hosting them.

The inefficient allocation of and or incapacity of some communities to contribute funds to maintain existing WASH facilities and construct new facilities to cover the rising need of new arrivals is putting significant pressure on key WASH facilities and services causing declining water and sanitation coverage and taking hygiene behaviors and practices backward. In the two-year period the availability of water at Rhino dropped from 25 lit/pers/day to 23 lit/per/day and Imvepi dropped from 27 lit/per/day to 22 lit/pr/day.

Despite this substantial contribution, the governance of Water User Committees (WUCs) with limited support from WASH Partners has faced financial and social challenges due to irregular community contributions towards operation and maintenance, misuse of funds, political influence, poor record keeping and lack of accountability and volunteerism in water point management.

OCHA used to manage the operation and maintenance of piped water infrastructures within the Gazetted area on behalf of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). However, since 2020 the water supply in refugee settlements such as the Rwamwanja refugee settlement, was taken over by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) or by the regional Umbrella Authority utilities. Uganda government intends to move towards a government-led,development-oriented system of service delivery and prioritizes transition management, so the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) plans the transition of three more settlements managed by NWSC, with all remaining systems in refugee settlements in the West Nile region to be transitioned to the Northern Umbrella Authority. Meanwhile, MWE is in the process of transitioning water supply and sanitation facilities in refugee settlements from humanitarian-based management (aid funded) to national utility management (user <(>&<)> government funded), which is called the “Utility Model.”

Oxfam in Uganda as a key humanitarian actor, has supported water and sanitation services in response to the needs of refugees and host communities in West Nile since 2017. Oxfam in Uganda has been the technical and mentoring support to NWSC during the transition of Rwamwanja Water supply, which was the first camp went through transition to utility management and later the same model was replicated in the 7 water supply systems which are funded by KFW.

A study conducted by Oxfam demonstrates gaps present in the process for transitioning water supply systems to utility management. Significant areas for strengthening include:

• Having equitable procedures on capital investment and tap stand operations to prevent favoritism towards the wealthy and ensure fair income margins for public tap stand operators.
• Adopting sector-wide financial monitoring tools to track the key parameters of a successful transition.
• Carrying out contextual understanding and risk analyses to lower the risks in utility transitions to local contexts.
• Involving communities through communication plans, feedback channels, and opportunities for social accountability.

To facilitate MWE ‘s transition of water supply system to utility management in Wes Nile refugee settlement, Oxfam in Uganda proposes a one-year project to strengthen the institutional capacity of national and district level government offices, local service providers and national WASH partners in water system and community engagement in the transition process.

Project Objective, Outcome and Activity:
The objective of the project is to strengthen the effectiveness of the transition of water supply management to utilities in refugee settlements through improving equity and community engagement in the utility transition process.

Project outcome 1
“Road Map” for transition of water supply systems to utility management in West Nile refugee settlementsis implemented completely.
Activity:
• Support MWE to conduct key Community / stakeholder engagement sessions in the orientation, roll out and review of transition process and popularizing of the transition road map.
• Strengthen community structures and its capacity for effective management and adoption of the new system (on the transition process at community level)
• Develop/revise sustainable Maintenance and Operation plans to enhance revenue generation.
• Advocate with MWE on financing model for sustainable financingfor the expansion of new water supply systems, operation, and maintenance of water supply facilities through allocation of budget by the government, international non-commercial financing institutes and humanitarian and development donors.
• Conducted awareness campaign/sensitization through mass media, radio talk shows on local radios within the targeted areas involving MWE, UNHCR, NWSC/UA, partners, refugee leaders etc to disseminate on the transition processes to utility management approaches.

Project Outcome 2
Area service providers are enabled to manage an affordable and reliable point water source in the refugee settlements with the support from community and local authority.
 Activity
• Conduct capacity need assessment for the existing WASH Structures (HPMA, WSSB, Sanitation committees) for the purpose of pro-poor water source governance and tariff restructuring.
• Conduct institutional and skills refresher training (O<(>&<)>M, appropriate financial and business models, record keeping, marketing strategies) for the existing HPMAs.
• Conduct community engagement feedback and complaint meetings with refugees, leaders, UNHCR, OPM and Partners.

Project Outcome 3
WASH professionals from Northern Umbrella Water and Sanitation and district and national Water sector experts have increased their knowledge to skill and governance for water supply utility management.
• Provide training opportunities to communities on good governance, bookkeeping, skill training and community engagement/ customer satisfaction.
• Conduct follow-ups and support the implementation of the training components.