Water Leaders Award
WASAC Ltd, Rwanda
What is it?
WASAC Ltd (Water and Sanitation Corporation) is the government-owned water and sewerage utility which provides a national service in Rwanda.
Who is responsible?
WASAC Ltd’s leader is CEO, James Sano. WASAC Ltd worked closely with the Ministry of Infrastructure and support was given by 2ML Consulting.
What makes it special?
The fastest ever performance improvement programme in 2ML Consulting’s utility transformation history has been completed successfully the Water and Sanitation Company (WASA Ltd) in Rwanda. Originally famous for its 100 days programme, 2ML has worked with WASAC and the Ministry of Infrastructure to reduce the time period to a lightning-fast 90 days. Although the performance improvement programme was shorter than usual, WASAC Ltd’s efforts produced truly dramatic results.
By the time the programme ended in December 2015, revenue had almost doubled and billing efficiency reached 100 percent.
Also, the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) indicator showed an improvement of 3.4% on the baseline, and the utility’s cash operating margin improved by 174% (from a deficit of 136 million Rwandan Francs to a surplus of 374 million Rwandan Francs).
• WASAC Ltd has shown to utilities around the world that the only limits to the speed and success of utility turnarounds are the commitment of the organisation’s leadership and management.
Distinction
NAWASA, Grenada
What is it?
The National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA) is the lead agency in water supply and sewerage collection, treatment and disposal operating currently under the Ministry of Works, Public Utilities, Physical Planning and Environment in the small island nation of Grenada.
Who is responsible?
NAWASA’s General Manager is Christopher Husbands. NAWASA undertook the project in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).
What makes it special?
NAWASA spearheaded a completely unique customer outreach campaign in the form of a televised game show, called ‘Water Warz,’ in order to promote greater awareness of water issues throughout in the tri-island state of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. The quiz was fashioned after the popular game show ‘Jeopardy!’ and it was designed to test school students’ knowledge of all water facts and myths including the history of NAWASA, climate change, water sustainability, and more. The programme was launched in conjunction with World Water Day 2015 on the theme of ‘Water and Sustainable Development.’
The first series, in June 2015, saw fierce competition between eleven participating schools and consisted of three rounds of competition. The preliminaries and the semi- finals were recorded for broadcast whilst the grand finale was broadcast live on a local television station.
Each episode was shown on television at least twice and has since been uploaded to NAWASA’s youtube channel. This has given the topics of water and wastewater management prominence in the national media and has effectively tapped into the youth demographic.
As the world’s utilities search for more cutting-edge methods of innovation and engaging with the public, NAWASA has found a way to mobilise mass media while still maintaining a close connection with the community and with individual organisational stakeholders. NAWASA has shown the utility sector a path to exist in the technological age and to meet the public half way, by giving them the most useful and pertinent information in the way they prefer to receive it.
The Global Water Awards 2018 is proudly sponsored by:
