New plant to address city water woes

Frustration over persistent water shortage among Kigali city dwellers could soon wane when Nzovu III water plant begins to supply more 25,000 cubic metres in the next two months. Speaking during a visit to the plant in Nzove Cell, Kanyinya Sector, in Nyarugenge District to assess the progress of construction activities, yesterday, Infrastructure minister James Musoni said, currently, Kigali city is supplied with 65,000 cubic metres of water per day yet it needs at least 110,000 cubic metres. “Nzovu III water plant is the first part of the project that will be followed by another to increase capacity to 120,000 cubic metres within nine months so that water demand in the city is satisfied,” he said. The plant is being funded to a tune of more than Rwf5 billion by government with Culligan company undertaking the construction. Kigali has in the past one year been struggling with water scarcity that has seen utility agency, the Water and Sanitation Corporation Limited (WASAC) ration supply to city suburbs. The rationing has left many city dwellers in frustation as taps go dry for days. James Sano, the director-general of WASAC, said another project from a water source in Mutobo will supply 40,000 cubic metres as parts of efforts to increase water supply to 160,000 cubic metres by 2020. Sano said another project in Bugesera, also with a capacity to produce 40,000 cubic metres of water, will be established to cover some parts of Kigali’s growing population. The latest plant will pump water from River Nyabarongo, unlike the current old plant that pumps water from underground sources – whose reduction in the water level is largely faulted for water shortage during the dry season.

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New plant to address city water woes