MTN Uganda’s water conservation opportunities

Water conservation is vital for ensuring a sustainable future. With a rising global population and increasing demands for water, preserving this finite resource is crucial for ecological balance, biodiversity, and climate change mitigation.

With over 80% of the population lacking access to clean, drinkable, or usable water, MTN Uganda has recognized the significance of tapping into a natural water resource at its disposal.

Nicholas Beijuka, MTN Uganda’s General Manager, Capital projects notes that this journey started amidst the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic which prompted MTN Uganda to transform its Jinja-road-based warehousing space into office facilities.

Beijuka said, “In the course of this transformation, we uncovered a natural spring on our premises: Initially perceived as a problem, we seized the opportunity to turn it into an asset,” “Collaborating with our team, we devised a plan to divert water away from our premises, realizing that we could utilize part of it for the betterment of our environment.”

The water collection process is both simple and sustainable. The freely flowing water at the entry point to the underground enters the tank. Here, a pump is employed to supply water to urinals and toilets. Another pump directs water to a reservoir tank, which serves as a source for irrigating the flourishing flora surrounding our premises.

After successfully implementing this system in our Mobile Money Offices, Beijuka said they extended their efforts to external toilets, covering a substantial area of approximately 4,000 square meters of flora within our 22,000 square meter headquarters. The potential for savings through the utilization of this natural spring for plant irrigation is immense.

By choosing to harvest and repurpose this water for gardens and washrooms, especially in Mobile Money facilities and public areas, MTN has achieved a commendable 20% reduction in its water bill, resulting in savings of almost Ugx60 million annually.

According to the team at MTN, this not only demonstrates the company’s commitment to financial prudence but also underscores the positive impact that this sort of water management has on the planet as a whole, especially at this time as the world strives to protect the planet.

MTN’s pursuit of delivering a modern connected life to all is seamlessly aligned to protecting the planet through proper resource management for the generations to come as a way of fostering shared value as underpinned by the company’s Ambition 2025 strategy.