Schools get rain water harvesting tanks

EASTERN PROVINCE NYAGATARE — The Kagera Transboundary Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project (TIWRMD) has constructed 15 rain harvesting tanks in 15 schools in the Nyagatare District, in an effort to tackle the problem of water scarcity. The tanks worth US$ 7,700 each, with a capacity of 20 cubic metres (20m3) were officially inaugurated last Friday at Rurenge Primary School, by officials of TIWRMD, according to a statement from the organisation. The tanks were constructed by Star Construction Company S.a.r.l in conjunction with the area district and provincial authorities. The inauguration ceremony was preceded by a one-day training to sensitise the respective school heads on their role in the maintenance of the facilities in order to ensure the sustainability of the rain water harvesting systems. The TIWRMD project managers stated that they sponsored the construction of the water tanks as part of their broad objectives to provide tangible development activities to the communities in the river basin, while at the same time striving to support one of the government’s development objectives of providing clean water to residents. The TIWRMD Project is one of the three River Basin Management Projects under the Umbrella Nile Equatorial Lakes Subsidiary Action Programme. The project is jointly funded by a grant from the Governments of Sweden and Norway. The objective of Kagera Transboundary Integrated Water Resources Management and Development Project (KTIWRMDP) is to develop tools and permanent cooperative mechanisms for the joint management of the water resources within the Kagera River Basin geared at preparing sustainable development in an attempt to improve the living conditions of the people and to protect the environment. Ends