SOUTHERN PROVINCE

MUHANGA—Lack of safe drinking water in Ndiza hills has come to an end after International Committee of Red Cross officially handed over 23 fully-furbished water springs to residents on September 6.

Over 63,000 people living in the area are to benefit from the project. The springs will be distributed throughout Kiyumba, Kibangu, Nyabinoni and Rongi sectors.

The occasion saw many residents fetching clean water for the first time in years and singing songs of praise to the donors.

Wellars Nshimiyumukiza, a local agronomist, said the health impact would be immediately noticed.

"The residents have been fetching dirty water for years and this has been a major cause of water-borne diseases,”

Nshimiyumukiza said. "Now residents can fetch and drink clean water at only Frw5 per gallon and Frw50 per month.”

The 32million project was started in September 2006 by ICRC and Muhanga district and aimed at improving the conditions of the inhabitants.

The ICRC plans to improve water conditions in Rwanda, noting that plans to implement other five water supply projects are underway, including Cyuga-Gohogwe in the districts of Rulindo, Gasabo, Kayonza, Ngoma and Huye.

Governor Fidel Ndayisaba acknowledged that access to clean water was one of the biggest problems that the province had.

"The province is working hard to solve this problem and in a few years this will be history,” Ndayisaba said at the handover.

"With such resources, the residents have to be proactive and show active faith by having boiled clean water always.”

The ceremony was also attended by Hon. MPs Alphonsine Mukarugema, Nobert Gasana, Thomas Habimana; Muhanga Mayor-Samuel Ngirinshuti and security officials- Spt. Claude Tembo and Maj. Evariste Rugangazi

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