Nyabihu residents start rain water harvesting

Residents of Mudende Sector, Nyabihu District have stepped up the usage of traditional methods of rain water harvesting, as a means to tackle water scarcity that has remained a challenge in years.Traditional rain water harvesting involves digging a hole and laying waterproof canvas – commonly known as tarpaulins in the hole. Water is then trapped in by the tarpaulins during the rainy season.Residents say that this method has saved them from making kilometres to get water. “Before I set up the facility in my home, I would walk for about 10 kilometres to get to the well. Others used to walk longer distances so we decided to adopt rain water harvesting, for a sustainable solution,” Eneas Serugendo, a resident of Bihungwe cell, in Mudende Sector says, adding that rain water harvesting started after the government successfully embarked on a programme to eradicate thatched houses countrywide. “When one was unable to fetch the water, they paid between Rwf200 and Rwf300 per jerrycan (of 20 litres) which was a lot. These facilities came in handy and the money that would have been used to buy water is saved,” he saysAccording to Serugendo, the water collected during rainy season is sometimes used way into the dry season or until the next rainy season. “Life has changed in terms of hygiene because we regularly bathe and wash our clothes which was rare before because of water scarcity,” he said.For safety, residents use a water purifying chemical called Sur Eau. Some residents, however, still expereince water shortage during the dry season because of small reserves.More efforts And with government planning to ensure that 100 per cent Rwandans have access to clean water by 2017, this particular area has been singled out for special attention. In April, a water supply scheme was built by the Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority and the Netherlands Development Organisation.The scheme will not only benefit about 15,000 people out of 22,000 residents in dire need of clean water in Mudende Sector but it will also provide 53,000 people with clean water in all the seven sectors in the area.

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Nyabihu residents start rain water harvesting