Water Quality Management Department

Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Water Quality

Department Mandate

To monitor, assess and manage the quality of water resources in
Uganda for all uses.

The Ministry of Water and Environment in Uganda plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the nation’s water quality through a comprehensive approach that includes periodic review and improvement of the policy, legal, and institutional frameworks for water quality management. It develops, reviews, and updates water quality management plans, including interventions for national disasters and emergencies. The Ministry is responsible for designing, reviewing, and operating national networks for ambient and operational monitoring, including compliance monitoring for drinking water and effluent discharges. It conducts water quality assessments and provides expert advice to the Government, Water Policy Committee, NEMA, other stakeholders, and the general public. Furthermore, it offers technical support to Local Governments, NGOs, and the private sector in water resources regulation, with a focus on water treatment, particularly in small towns, rural growth centres, and institutions not covered by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC). The Ministry also introduces and oversees the application of water quality management tools such as economic instruments, water quality objectives for water bodies, Water Safety Plans, and biological monitoring. It operates the National Reference Laboratory and Regional Laboratories for environmental quality analysis, while also monitoring, quality assuring, and regulating the operations of all water testing laboratories in Uganda. Additionally, it has established and maintains a National Water Quality Database and is actively involved in packaging and disseminating water quality information to stakeholders. It supports capacity building across Water Management Zones, Nile Basin countries, districts, civil society organizations, and local communities involved in catchment-based water quality management, and also undertakes research and supports innovations in low-cost water treatment solutions.