The Energy, Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) has appealed to Kigali dwellers to avoid wasting water. EWSA said the current dry season would continue affecting water supply up to August. EWSA has established a weekly rationing programme to supply water in shifts. “We make sure that every part of the city gets water and we inform the public before the water is distributed,” Yves Ntwari Ndoli, a communications officer from EWSA said. Gardening, washing cars and other similar activities were cited among those for which treated water should not be used. The current water production in Kigali is 70,000m3 per day which is still small compared to the current demand of 100,000m3 per day which creates the water deficit of 30,000m3 per day. The city is facing water shortages as a result of dry spells with some residents going for two weeks without piped water. Residents living in Kimironko around Amahoro stadium, Nyabisindu have to wake up early in the morning and line up at Kagara borehole located in swampy areas of Nyabisindu village in Remera Sector. When this paper visited the place on Monday over 30 people were lining up to fetch water. Others especially housemaids were washing clothes from there to avoid carrying home several jerry cans of water. “We have not had water for almost two weeks that’s why we have to lineup here,” Florence Nyirahabimana a Nyabisindu resident said as she waited in line to fill her cans. She mentioned that due the number of people lining up for water she had to forego some activities at home and focus on collecting water. A Jerry can of water costs Rwf30. The money goes to the local government structures at cell level. Damascene Habumuremyi, a house help who had come with a bicycle to carry water said EWSA should do more to alert them about the water rationing. “They (EWSA) do not even warn us that we would experience water shortage; we now have to wake up early to fight for water.”
