Clean Water Flows: How Moyo Town in Uganda Solved a Water Crisis by 2021

Target 6.1 – Ensure universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water

In the far north of Uganda, close to the South Sudan border, lies Moyo Town, a fast-growing community of nearly 30,000 people. But until recently, most of those residents had no access to clean, piped water.

Before 2020, only about 500 households were connected to the town’s ageing supply network. Everyone else, including refugee families, schoolchildren and traders, relied on swamps, unprotected springs or shallow wells. These sources were unreliable, easily contaminated, and located far from home. Collecting water took hours. Outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoea were common. The problem was urgent, but it had been ignored for too long.

That changed in 2020, when Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment, with funding from the German development bank KfW, launched a major upgrade of Moyo’s water infrastructure. The project wasn’t flashy. It didn’t involve high-tech equipment. But it was well planned, community-focused, and built to last.

Engineers drilled two new boreholes, constructed a central pump house, installed two elevated steel water storage tanks, and laid a full piped distribution network that reached 39 neighbourhoods and nearby villages. Schools and health centres were included. So were homes on the edge of town. Nothing was left to chance.

By the time the system was commissioned in September 2021, clean water was flowing to over 28,000 people, almost the entire town.

And the benefits were immediate.

Local health workers reported a drop in waterborne illnesses within weeks. Clinics had better hygiene and reliable handwashing stations. Households saved hours each day. Instead of spending the morning walking to fetch water, children were in school on time, and women could take on paid work or rest. For many families, it was the first time they had running water anywhere near home.

Small businesses flourished too. Hair salons, food stalls, car washers and produce sellers all relied on water. With a stable supply, they could operate more consistently and attract more customers. Some even hired extra staff.

The system didn’t just work technically; it worked socially. Community members were involved from the start. Local contractors were hired for construction. Water points were installed in public spaces by request. The Ministry trained a local water user committee to manage billing, maintenance and repairs. Tariffs were kept affordable. Most families paid less for safe water than they had spent on jerrycan vendors or bottled water in the past.

What makes this story powerful is how practical and replicable it is. There were no new inventions. Just good coordination, clear goals, and a commitment to reaching everyone, not just the most convenient areas. Moyo’s water system became a model for other small towns in Uganda and across East Africa.

This is what SDG 6.1 looks like in action. Not just promises about water “access,” but actual pipes in the ground, taps in schools, and clean water in people’s homes. Not just charity, but public investment with public returns.

It’s a reminder that safe water is not a luxury. It’s a service, and a right, that underpins everything else: health, education, gender equality, and economic growth.

Your Voice. Your Target. Your Legacy.

If your school, council or community wants to make clean water a reality, start with where the gaps are. Map them. Fund infrastructure, not just outreach. Involve residents in design and upkeep. Build trust alongside tanks. Then track what improves and share that proof.

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