Water utility introduces monitoring software to cut losses

The national water utility is in the process of implementing the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software to help detect leakages along water networks, monitor levels, and quality, as well as contribute to water loss reduction, according to officials. On January 19, the Chamber of Deputies, the lower chamber of parliament, requested the Ministry of Infrastructure to present a roadmap for the implementation of the project's design after it was completed in 2020. ALSO READ: Wasac repairs Kigali’s 'undersized' water pipes in Rwf20bn project This is one of the resolutions that the Lower Chamber of Parliament made after adopting the assessment report of its standing Committee on Economy and Trade on the Auditor General’s report on the technology used by the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC). According to the Committee, the inspection by the Auditor General showed that SCADA technology meant for detecting water leakages and monitoring water use in the country was not yet in place. Lawmakers know that the design study was carried out at a cost of Rwf80 million. The Auditor General’s report for the financial year ended June 30, 2021 shows that the trend for non-revenue water increased from 44.1 per cent in the financial year ended June 30, 2020 to 45.6 per cent in the same period of 2021. It showed that out of more than 59.5 million cubic metres produced in Rwanda in the financial year ended June 2021, only 32.3 million cubic metres (or 55.94 per cent) was billed to customers resulting in unbilled water of over 27.1 million cubic meters (or 45.6 per cent) yet there is a nagging concern of water scarcity. Reasons for the water loss include non-billed active customers, inefficient billing system, and loss along the distribution chain such as through leakage. Eng. Dominique Murekezi, the Acting Director of Water and Sanitation Development, told The New Times that SCADA will be executed in phases. Estimates from WASAC suggest that the new system, including a control centre, will cost between $12.9 million (over Rwf13 billion) considering the minimum required budget and over $19.4 million (over Rwf20 billion) for the maximum required budget. Murekezi said the new system involves installing sensors into the water network which provide data needed for effective management. This will monitor water flow and timely detect whether the levels are low, whether the flow is halted and when and where there is a leakage. Also, Murekezi pointed out there is also a way you can know the magnitude of the pressure in the water network, and reduce it if it is too high in order to prevent water pipe damage or bursting. In case of damages to water installations, the water agency can rapidly intervene to fix the problem. He said: “At an advanced stage, the system can help you monitor the water quality from the treatment plant to the consumer to ensure that quality is ensured along the entire supply chain.” Water network upgrade Murekezi said the use of SCADA will go along with the upgrading of old water networks. He indicated that Rwf178 billion is required to implement the entire network upgrade project in the City of Kigali by 2035, based on the availability of the required resources. The latter is an outlay determined in the city’s water master plan of 2021. As noted, Rwanda received $20 million (over Rwf20 billion) from Japan in 2022 as support for the upgrading project. The money will be used for the upgrade of water networks in areas including Gisozi and Kacyiru by 2026. The water upgrade and use of SCADA do not automatically imply that there will be no more water loss at all, he said, noting that the system will reduce water losses significantly. For instance, in the Gisozi area where non-revenue water was at 38 per cent, he said, “we plan that it will reduce to 25 per cent upon the project completion.”

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Water utility introduces monitoring software to cut losses