Floating booms have been installed on the Rusizi River to reduce plastic waste that has been disrupting the operation of power plants supplying electricity to Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). Plastic pollution is increasingly hindering power generation along the river and threatening aquatic life in Lake Kivu, leading to urgent calls for sustainable waste management. A floating boom is a barrier that rests on the water’s surface, designed to contain, control, or divert floating debris and pollutants. Fidele Ndayisaba, Director-General of the International Electricity Society of the Great Lakes (SINELAC), a specialised institution of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), said that 50 MWh (megawatt-hours) were lost annually due to waste in the Rusizi River. ALSO READ: Main polluters of four major lakes revealed: What next? The Rusizi River is a major watercourse in East Africa, flowing from Lake Kivu, located between Rwanda and the DRC, down to Lake Tanganyika, which borders several countries including DR Congo, Burundi, and Tanzania. The river supports hydroelectric power generation, agriculture, and fishing. Several hydroelectric dams, including Rusizi I, II, and the planned Rusizi III power plant, harness its flow to provide electricity to Rwanda, DR Congo, and Burundi. ALSO READ: Anzana Electric Group joins 206 MW Rusizi III power project execution ALSO READ: REMA warns of water pollution in Lake Kivu Ndayisaba said measures have been taken to reduce the impact of plastic waste on hydropower plants. “We have installed a floating boom to prevent waste from reaching the turbines at the hydroelectric dam. The boom has been operational for several months and has significantly reduced the effects of the large amounts of waste dumped into the Rusizi River,” he told The New Times. As a result, in 2024, the Rusizi II plant increased electricity generation to 240,432.60 MWh, which is the highest output since it began operating in 1989. “Together with other financial management reforms, this increase in production enabled us to record profits amounting to $6.5 million for the first time in its history,” he explained. The Minister of Infrastructure, Jimmy Gasore, announced that the construction of the Rusizi III hydroelectric dam, which will supply electricity to over 300,000 households in Rwanda, DR Congo, and Burundi, is expected to cost $800 million. He made the announcement on June 9, during the ground-breaking ceremony at the dam’s construction site. The three countries will each contribute equal funding, and the electricity generated will be shared equally. This means each country will pay over $266 million and receive approximately 68.6 megawatts of power. Construction of the dam is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and to be completed by 2030. Curbing plastic waste threats to Lake Kivu, Rusizi River fish The Rusizi River, which provides water for hydropower generation for the three countries, originates from Lake Kivu, which is home to several fish species. “Sardine fish species face breeding challenges due to plastic and other waste in Lake Kivu, which hinders their reproduction. Plastic waste dumped into the water accumulates along the shores where sardines lay their eggs, disrupting their breeding,” said Vincent Nzabandora, a fisher from Rusizi District. The production of sardine from Lake Kivu varies between 300 tonnes to 500 tonnes per week. ALSO READ: Industries face closure for polluting water bodies The fishing community around Lake Kivu said that although plastic pollution remains an issue in Rwanda, much of the plastic waste originates from neighbourhoods in the DRC and is washed into the lake. Solange Uwituze, Acting Director-General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), told The New Times that, although no research has yet confirmed the presence of micro-plastics in Lake Kivu’s waters, the visible plastic waste suggests potential problems for fish cannot be ruled out. ALSO READ: Kivu fish farmers wary over sharp decline in production “It is clear that in areas where plastic waste is present, there are few sardines, and even those present reproduce poorly because others have fled due to deteriorating living conditions. Plastic waste severely affects sardines, particularly because they ingest small particles of the waste. This damages their feeding grounds and introduces harmful chemicals into their bodies,” she explained. Plastic waste often contains tiny particles ingested by fish, which disrupt their digestive systems, causing them to refuse food or lose their appetite, ultimately leading to starvation and death. She said there is need for research to clearly identify the problem’s extent. “Meanwhile, efforts to maintain environmental cleanliness should be strengthened, ensuring plastic waste and similar materials are properly disposed of and kept away from Lake Kivu. This will help sardine populations to thrive, supporting fishermen and those who rely on them for food,” she said. Required measures include visiting the shores of all lakes to check for broken plastics entering lakes and rivers or being deliberately dumped, and preparing reports accordingly. “There is also a need to educate communities through local administrative units around the lakes about the harmful effects of plastic waste in our waters and to promote ways to protect water bodies from plastic pollution, such as placing bins where needed. Guidance should also be given to local authorities, fishermen, boat operators, and tourists undertaking water-based activities in Rwanda, clearly informing them that disposing of plastic waste in Rwandan waters is prohibited,” she added. Other measures include identifying and monitoring the pathways through which plastic waste enters water bodies (lakes, wetlands, rivers), ensuring regular inspections of these routes during rain runoff, wind, travel, and wildlife movement. Prosper Mulindwa, Mayor of Rubavu District, added that measures include deploying boats to monitor cleanliness and mobilising residents to clean the shores of Lake Kivu, ensuring the lake is not spoiled by waste.
