The Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) has announced that it is going to mobilize financial resources that will help to conduct studies to find out ways of dealing with floods and swashed debris that continues to affect water treatment plants. The floods have triggered Rwf4 billion loss after damaging water treatment plants and water supply systems across the country since the start of the year. The disasters’ report shows that water treatment plants -especially those in Muhanga, Nyabihu and Nyaruguru districts and Kigali city-were the most affected according to WASAC chief executive Aimé Muzola. Some of the affected water treatment plants include those of Nzove, Kimisagara, Karenge, Mpanga, Nyagatare, Shyogwe, and Gihuma. This left many residents without water for about five days following heavy rains that fell on May 7, 2020. The plant in Shyogwe also affected water supply in Kamonyi, Ruhango and Nyanza districts. As the floods destroy roads, the water pipes are also damaged according to Muzola. Over 124 roads were damaged. At least 13 water supply infrastructures were destroyed from January to April and thus disrupted water supply in some areas across the country The extreme weather also destroyed 61 electricity infrastructure affecting temporary energy supply in some areas of the country according to a report by the Ministry in charge of Emergency Management. “These are unusual rains and it is the first time to see so many water supply infrastructures destroyed to such an extent,” he said. He said that, for instance, the floods submerged the sources of water extraction in Muhanga and Nzove. The WASAC CEO said that most of the plants have resumed water treatment to enable water supply but insisted that long-term solutions are needed to protect them from floods and debris. “The studies need to be carried out to show us the way to protect the water treatment plants from floods in the future,” he said. The weather forecast for May indicates that there will be rainfall ranging between 50 and 250 millimeters according to Rwanda Metrology Agency.
