This pilot project was implemented in 24 selected Micro, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) from four water management zones in Uganda through promotion of water use efficiency techniques and practices under Switch Africa Green (SAG) Project for the period July 2015 – June 2018 with support from European Union. The project was implemented by the Directorate of Water Resources Management (DWRM) in partnership with Uganda Cleaner Production Centre (UCPC).

Project activities included; capacity building through training of selected staff from the companies on demand side-management tools for water efficiency participants, carrying out water audits to establish the baseline situation on water management techniques and identification of demand side management measures for water improvement in the respective enterprise and monitoring and evaluation aimed at evaluating impact of project implementation at enterprise level were carried out.

During the water audits, it was estimated that an average water saving of 14,024m3 could be obtained per MSME annually once all the identified water saving measures have been implemented. However, enterprises which successfully implemented the proposed water saving initiatives achieved an average annual water saving of about 29,282m3. This has resulted in an average annual saving of USD 40,776/ MSME from reduced water consumption and other added benefits such as; improved materials productivity resulting in an average annual saving of USD 114,015 per MSME, reduced volume of waste water discharged, reduced stress on fresh water eco-system and economic growth of the sector due to improved revenues for the MSMEs. 

Implementation of the project action at the enterprise level also resulted in an average increased water productivity of about 35.54% per MSME thus increased water efficiency. The quality of effluent discharged by enterprises also improved. On average per MSME, BOD5 reduced by 68.25%, COD reduced by 68.75% and pH reduced from alkalinity towards neutrality by 12.8%. On average, each MSME that implemented the identified water saving initiatives invested an average amount of USD 36,823.