Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) has started delivering water, through mobile tanks, to communities in the City of Kigali which have a shortage.

According to Aimé Muzola, the Chief Executive of WASAC, the move is a short-term solution to water shortage in parts of Kigali.

The ongoing upgrade on water distribution networks—replacement of old and small pipes as well as construction of water tanks—has led to unreliable supply of water in some parts of the city.

The utility agency has thus identified 26 critical sites in Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge districts where mobile tanks will be placed in order to address the shortage.

"It might take us a year for the (long-term) projects to be completed so that we are able to supply water to all places for people to access it, yet, people need clean water on a daily basis,” Muzola said, adding that that’s the reason they introduced short-term solutions.

He disclosed that a 20 litre jerrycan will cost Rwf20, the same tariff for piped water.

The move supported by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will save people from trekking long distance to fetch water during scarcity.

Each tank has a capacity of10 cubic metres or 10,000 litres.

The tanks have graded devices, meaning when water is about to get finished, the operator alerts WASAC, which refills the tanks.

Relief for residents

"I have been fetching water at Rwf150 per jerrycan. Now thanks to the mobile water tank, I get it at Rwf20…that's really a great relief in terms of accessibility and affordability," said Esther Uwemereyimana, resident of Nduba Sector.  

Theogene Ndagiriyemungu, an operator of the water tank in Nduba site said that in addition, the system has eased the impact of water shortage on livestock farmers.

"I inform WASAC to replenish the tanks when they are about to dry up,” Ndagiriyemungu said.

Emmanuel Tuyishimire, a resident of Gitaraga Cell in Masaka Sector of Kicukiro District said that; "Before, we had to pay between Rwf200 and Rwf300 for a jerrycan.”

Access to clean water significantly rose in the last two decades, from 26.3 per cent in 1994 to 87 per cent in 2017, according to the fifth Integrated Households Living Condition Survey (EICV5).

Rwanda targets universal (100 per cent) access to clean water by 2024.

However, the country will have to produce 145,000 cubic metres of water every day in order to meet water demands for the Kigali City dwellers. Currently, 105,000 cubic metres are produced.

According to WASAC, projects such as the 40,000 cubic metre Kanzenze water treatment plant, the upgrade of Nzove and Karenge water treatment plants will ensure sustainable supply of water within and in suburbs of the City of Kigali.