Affordable and accessible safe drinking water has an arching role in the social-economic development of a country. In Rwanda it has been ranked as a basic amenity—among the highest priority public goods.
Access to drinking water reduces time spent on fetching water and has a positive impact on school enrolment and attendance especially for girls, while absent, unsafe, and distant water supplies have been seen to be detrimental to all lives, and especially for women who are normally responsible for water collection and handling for household hygiene and for caring of the sick.
The water and sanitation sector in Rwanda is thoroughly monitored within the Vision 2050—which is about ensuring high standards of living for all Rwandans, modern infrastructure, transformation for prosperity as well as an improved quality of life.
Water and sanitation for all
The Water and sanitation sector in Rwanda aims at increasing the proportion of the population / households accessing improved source of water from 84.8% (EICV 4) to 100% and the proportion with improved sanitation facilities from 83% (EICV 4) to 100% by 2024 as per National Strategy for Transformation (NST1).
It also plans to increase the proportion of the rural population living within 500m of an improved water source from 47.% (EICV4) to 100%, and to raise the proportion of the urban population residing within 200m of an improved water source from 61%(EICV4) to 100%.
Regarding sanitation, the sector has plans to increase the proportion of schools with latrines complying with health norms will reach a target of 100% and the proportion for rural households will increase to 100%.
Understandably, the water and sanitation sector plays a critical role in ensuring that targets of the Vision 2050 which include Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and National Strategy for Transformation (NST 2018/19-2023/24) are attained.
Officially known as Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) are a comprehensive set of 17 goals which will go above and beyond the remarkable past accomplishments of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to create a sustainable world by 2030.
The SDG’s have three targets around water and sanitation which are; achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all; achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and lastly, improving water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
However to achieve these targets, adequate investment in water and sanitation infrastructure, providing sanitation facilities and promoting hygiene at every level is a prerequisite.
Overcoming challenges through united efforts
As a way of partnering with the government in protecting the population against dangers that come with unsafe water, a number of local and international organizations for years have been implementing vibrant programs that enable people especially in rural areas to easily access clean water, as well as intervening in sanitation projects.
As an example, a five year program dubbed “Ending Poverty One Village at a Time” (EPOVAT) that was led by ‘Tear fund’– a Christian Organization; provided water and sanitation facilities that drastically improved many households’ hygiene standards.
In the first phase of the program, up to 43,797 households were reported to access water through water gravity flow system, springs and piped water. More beneficiaries also gained access to water within a walking distance.
The program also permitted a decrease in a number of hygiene-related diseases as a result of improved hygiene practices.
Also, SNV is also leading a consortium of non-profit partner. It is implementing USAID funded Isuku Iwacu project, running from 2016 to 2020 to improve household sanitation in Rwanda.
The project aims at increasing local ownership of, and capacity to deliver, sustainable, high-quality sanitation and hygiene services, in order to improve access to and support correct, consistent use of household sanitation and hygiene facilities, with the overall goal of decreasing childhood stunting.
Similarly, Financial Institutions are playing a big part in boosting the water and sanitation sector, such as the two loans totaling $171 million that were recently approved by the African Development Bank Group Board to finance Rwanda’s Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Programme under which water supply and sanitation infrastructures & services will be provided in Kigali, Rubavu, Rusizi, Nyagatare, Muhanga, Huye, Musanze and Karongi.
The move is expected to boost water supply and sanitation in the country.
Although the journey is still long, efforts in creating a promising future for the country’s water supply and sanitation sector are beginning to pay off. The day when safe water will be easily accessible for all citizens is approaching little by little.
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