Some residents of Kabeza and Kajeke are at a great risk of a looming outbreak of an epidemic because of a crisis caused by lack of clean water in the area.

The residents have now resorted to using water flowing into Sondasi swamp which divides Kicukiro and Gasabo Districts. The dirty water flowing from Sondasi swamp in turn pours its waters in River Nyabarongo.

Inhabitants of this area spend months without water flowing in their taps and when it does, which is once in a blue moon, it always flows at night when almost everybody is asleep and cannot therefore fetch the water.

By the time they wake up, their taps are dry and the alternative sources are expensive, only affordable by the few members of the working class who have the money.

A jerry can of water goes for about Frw100, a price that is too high for the unemployed population in the area to afford, and from a source which does not meet the hygienic standards recommendable by a health worker.

Those who cannot afford the cost resort to the few protected wells located down the swamp at Frw50 a jerry can. Then there are those who do not fall in any of the mentioned categories, and their only alternative or option is to use the dirty water which has a tea-like colour running in gutters from sources that are unknown even to those using this water.

The water gullies have two branches, one running from Kanombe and another one from Kajeke in Kabeza sector. Sondasi swamp is surrounded by a shanty place with muddy kraals atop the hill along Kabeza side.

There is a deep water trench that runs from Mbandazi cell and pours its dirty waters in Sondasi swamp. The trench has a smelly stench resulting from disposals from the neighbouring homes.

Ironically, the stream that pours its waters into river Nyabarongo has made lives of its neighbours a blessing in disguise.

Despite its dirty waters, residents continue to pile around with jerry cans to fetch water for domestic use. It’s used for washing, feeding animals, building houses, drinking and cooking while those who are fear public opinion draw it at night.

In a mini survey conducted by the Insight around the swamp, a number of residents are worried about their health if the problem is not addressed.

Bernard Ngendahimana, a resident of Nyarurembo-Kabeza sector is worried by the fact that although the stream is extremely dirty, its water is continuously being used by majority of residents who cannot afford buying a twenty-litre jerrycan of water at Frw100.

"Yes we have only one area where we fetch water, but it is expensive to most of us who at times don’t have a single coin to survive on, and we find ourselves with no choice but to use the swamp water,” Ngendahimana explains.

"Sometimes cows come and drink from the swamp and residents are concerned about their lives,” he says.

Alphonse Nsabimana, another resident says that sometimes, there is a repugnant smell and an excruciating stench that comes from the nearby area where there is an abattoir owned by two people only identified as Didi and Rugondo, both residents of Nyakabanda Cell in Niboye sector, Kicukiro District.

Kabeza, Rubirizi and Nyandungu water crisis

According to Jean Bosco Kanyesheja, the Director of water Department, there are over 3,000 clients of Electrogaz in the area and the number is still increasing.

People around Kanombe have always complained about water shortage, but Electrogaz is doing all it can to sort out the problem, says Kanyesheja.

Kanyesheja attributes the problem to the water tank that supplies the area from Remera which has a low capacity. The Director explains that they have already thought about the water shortage in those areas and plans are underway to mitigate the problem.

"The number of people we serve is still growing tremendously when compared to the amount of water supplied a day,” Kanyesheja says.

Challenges

Water accessibility remains a challenge to over 700,000 clients and the ever increasing number of people in the Kigali City and its outskirts, Kanyesheja says.

"The bigger challenge we face in Electrogaz is in most cases related to the technical problems which at times limit the supplying system and then people think that maybe, we are not performing to their expectations,” Kanyesheja explains.

Kanyesheja said that slum development in most areas has hindered Electrogaz team from accessing some areas because it is very hard for them to pass from one house to another in such a congested place.

"Low water supply is another challenge since what we have as of now has smaller capacities compared to the number of people that are served, says Kanyesheja.

Efforts to mitigate the problem

The crisis that the residents are engrossed in have not let Electrogaz officials to rest: Electrogaz is among other things boosting the existing 13 water supplying plants country wide with over 39,845 in m3/day.

The water treatment plants include that of Nyabarongo, Muhazi, Cyunyu, Mpanga, Nyamabuye, Rwasaburo, Kanyabusage, Gisuma, Gihengeri and Gatoki. Kanyesheja said that the water treatment project at Nyabarongo would supply 4,000 m3/day by next year.

There is also piped water in most areas of Kigali suburb including Kajeke, Kabeza and Round Sondasi swamp, which is treated with chlorine so that users are not affected.

However, the problem is, how accessible is this kind of water, since most people find it difficult to buy a jerry can of water at Frw50 in those areas.

Those residents, who cannot afford buying water for that much, are given the chance to utilize water that is reserved in polythene bags (braderi), and public water tanks which is relatively cheap.

Kanyesheja said that improving the scope and reliability of the water, increasing the efficiency of Electrogaz operations, reducing cost and increasing the amount of water and including requests for new connections for all provinces and for all type of customers is all they look to by 2008.

This year’s theme while marking World Water Day on March 22, 2007, was ‘Coping with Water.’ This year’s theme highlighted the increasing significance of water scarcity worldwide and the need for increasing, integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable efficiency and equitable management of scarce water resources both at international and local levels.

The bulk of that challenge lies in finding more effective ways to conserve, use and protect the world’s water resources in regard to the expected global population of 8.1 billion by the year 2030.

To keep the pace with the growing demand for food, 14 per cent more fresh water will need to be withdrawn from its sources for agriculture purposes in the next 30 years.

Climate change has also led to storms and flooding, which destroy crops, contaminate fresh water and damage the facilities used to store and carry that water to communities.

The human body is two-thirds water. Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body. It helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells.

It is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions, as well as for the utilization of the water-soluble vitamins. It is also needed for the maintenance of proper body temperature.

So, water is life as it’s commonly recommended by health workers and doctors. So water must be continuously replaced since on average, 250ml is lost on a daily basis through breathing.

By drinking an adequate amount of clean water each day-at least eight glasses (2 liters), you can ensure that your body has all it needs to maintain good health. For these, you need clean water.

You can live without food for several weeks, but you cannot go less than a week without water. The best way to get this water is by drinking natural water. But other beverages, such as fruit juices, milk, and non caffeinated drinks are also good sources of water.

Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, while they do supply water to the body initially, contain diuretics that cause the body to lose water.

So water being a human life, it’s equally important to crave for clean water as we do for other human life.

Ends