A tour of the Nzove Water Treatment Plant and Ntora Reservoir Station in Kigali City took place on Tuesday, June 6, showcasing Japan’s significant contribution to Rwanda’s water and sanitation sector. These water projects will benefit approximately 440,000 people and improve their living environment.
The Embassy of Japan together with JICA and WASAC organised the event that brought together key stakeholders, including the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, the Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Water and Sanitation Corporation Acting CEO, the Vice Mayor of Kigali City in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency, experts, and journalists.
During the tour, Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, Isao Fukushima, emphasised the significance of the water sector in sustaining the basic needs of the Rwandan people.
He reaffirmed Japan’s prioritisation of this sector within its development cooperation efforts, aiming to improve access to safe and quality water supply services that directly impacts people’s lives. Water is one of the four priority areas of Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Rwanda, reflecting Japan’s commitment to supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation, and Vision 2050.
The tour highlighted two major projects being implemented with Japan’s assistance. The JICA Technical Cooperation Project, consisting of the Kaizen Approach Project (2022-2027) and the Non-revenue Water Project (2016-2021), aims to enhance water supply management and reduce losses.
Additionally, the JICA Grant Aid Project includes the Nzove-Ntora transmission pipeline (2019-2023) and the improvement of water supply in North Central Kigali (2022-2025). All these projects align with the Kigali City Water Supply Masterplan, designed to meet the growing water demands of Kigali City and its surrounding areas.
The ultimate goal of these projects is to ensure a sustainable water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) system in the City of Kigali. Japan, through JICA, is playing a pivotal role in achieving this objective by upgrading the Nzove-Ntora water transmission pipeline and providing training programmes focused on financial management, reducing non-revenue water, and promoting efficient operation and maintenance of facilities through the KAIZEN approach.
Fidele Abimana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure, shared insights into the initial challenges faced by the Nzove Water Treatment Plant. The main issue was the inability to efficiently transmit water to households in Kigali due to narrow pipelines. However, through these projects, the pipes have been expanded from 600mm to 900mm, enabling a substantial increase in water supply to the Ntora Reservoir.
While these upgrades will cause a temporary water shortage for Kigali residents from June 8 to June 22, it is a necessary step to enhance the water transmission process. After the scheduled two weeks, water availability will improve significantly, with water reaching the Ntora Reservoir increasing from 40,000m³/day to 65,000m³/day.
Moreover, the government plans to further develop the Nzove Water Treatment Plant to reach a capacity of producing 87,000m³/day, ensuring adequate water access for Kigali City.
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Minako Shiotsuka, the JICA Chief Representative, shared that the project for strengthening the Nzove-Ntora principal water transmission pipeline in Kigali City is set to be completed by August this year. With a total cost of $23.6 million (about Rwf 26.7 billion), this project will significantly increase water volume, thereby stabilising the water supply in Kigali.
It involves improving water supply facilities, including the transmission pipeline, pump equipment at the Nzove Water Treatment Plant, and the installation of a new elevated tank. These enhancements are estimated to benefit approximately 440,000 people and improve their living environment.
Chief Executive Officer of WASAC, Gisele Umuhumuza, revealed exciting developments during the press interview at the tour. At the Nzove Water Treatment Plant, new buildings with three pump units have been constructed, with a capacity to produce 22,000m³/day.
Regarding the transmission pipeline, Umuhumuza shared that a total of 9,357km of diameter with 900mm piping have been installed.
"Innovative pipe jacking technology was employed for the six locations where the pipeline crosses rivers, ensuring efficient and reliable water transmission,” she said.
The Ntora Reservoir underwent essential improvements, including the restructuring of two outlet pipes and the installation of ventilation holes. A new tank, equipped with two pumps capable of producing 576m³/day, has also been installed. These enhancements will contribute to a more robust and resilient water supply system.
Currently, the water supply in Kigali relies on four plants: Nzove (producing 60,000m³/day), Kanzenze (producing 30,000m³/day), Kimisagara (producing 20,000m³/day), and Karenge (producing 10,000m³/day). Together, these plants provide a total of 120,000m³/day.