Urban areas in Nyagatare, Kayonza and Nyanza districts are to benefit from the second phase of the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation project (LVWATSAN II).

The three districts will be supplied with water from a treatment plant in Nyagatare Sector in Nyagatare District, whose construction works were launched on Saturday.

Fred Sabiti Atuhe, the mayor of Nyagatare District, said once completed, the plant will facilitate universal access to water in the district’s urban area.

"Our town has always faced the challenge of insufficient water, which has always hindered development.

Currently, only 56 per cent of dwellers in Nyagatare have access to safe water, but once the plant is completed, 64 per cent of the residents will access water. We hope this will complement other initiatives by the district to enable us achieve 100 per cent water coverage in the district.”

James Sano, the chief executive for the Water and Sanitation Corporation, said the project is in line with the development of satellite cities to boost urbanisation.

Dr Canisius Kanangire, executive secretary for the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), a specialized institution of the East African Community, said insufficient water has always been a challenge to urbanisation within the Lake Victoria Basin region.

"Many areas in the region do not have access to safe water. Towns are growing fast but access to clean water is still a big challenge,” he said.

James Musoni, the minister for Infrastructure, who launched construction works for the plant, urged Nyagatare dwellers to be more involved both in construction and maintenance of the essential infrastructure to maximise benefits.

"As construction work starts, do not sit idle. Try to get jobs here to boost your incomes and once the plant is completed, protect it jealously bearing in mind how long you have suffered due to water shortage,” he said.

The water treatment plant which is projected to be completed by September 2016 will supply 2300m3 daily. This will complement the current 6000m3 from Cyondo water treatment plant to feed urban areas in Nyagatare, Kayonza in the Eastern Province and Nyanza in the Southern Province.

Residents welcomed the project.

Alphonsine Mukakarezi, a resident of Rwempasha Sector, said the water would save them time previously wasted looking for water.

"We always wake up at 1:00am to go to fetch from Cyambu, a distance of about two hours on a bicycle, while it took about another two hours queuing. Now I hope we will have more time for other domestic activities that were being affected by fetching activities.”

Erica Poteri, 75, said water will improve their hygiene conditions, while for Giovanis Kendaba, a dairy farmer, the water will improve her production.

The whole project in the region has a budget worth US $110m with $20m allocated to Rwanda.

The launch of the construction works for the water treatment plant was preceded by inauguration of a water channel in Rwempasha sector, where over 6800 households and grazing farms are expected to be connected before the end of this year.

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