75 % of Rwandans have access to water

Seven years after Rwanda Patriotic Front was voted into power, seventy five percent of Rwandans are believed to have full access to clean water, according to Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karega.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Seven years after Rwanda Patriotic Front was voted into power, seventy five percent of Rwandans are believed to have full access to clean water, according to Infrastructure Minister Vincent Karega.

He revealed this yesterday the minister’s tour of Nzove Water Treatment Plant in Nyarugenege District one year since its establishment.

Constructed at a cost of Rwf15bn, the plant currently serves several suburbs of Kigali City that include Nyarutarama, Gikondo, Kibagabaga, Remera, Gacuriro among others.

Karega attributed the development to the current government which he said has prioritized access to water and electricity by all citizens of the country.

"Before 2003, only 4 percent had access to electricity, but now it is 15 percent, while currently, 75 percent of Rwandans have access to clean water.”

He added that the ministry is targeting by 2015, to have the entire population accessing clean water from a shortest distance possible.

He urged Rwanda Electricity Cooperation and Rwanda Water and Sanitation Cooperation (RECO/RWASCO) to expedite the ongoing projects and put in place necessary requirements so that future projects can be financed to beat this deadline.

Karega also called on the employees of the Nzove plant to take good care of the plant as it has registered tremendous achievement in reducing water shortage.

According to RECO/RWASCO management, the country still has a deficit of 20,000 cubic square metres per day to meet the high increasing demand of water.

The Director General of RECO/RWASCO, Yves Muyange, said that by December this year, the plant would double its production to 30,000 cubic square metres a day.

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