Background

The Government of Rwanda has the ambition to improve the quality of life of its population by provision of adequate water supply and sanitation services (WSS). It is evident that the lack of basic services such as water supply and sanitation leads to poverty and underdevelopment. 

Rwanda’s overall development objectives and planning tools are driven by the vision 2020, EDPRS, Government 7 Year program, MDGs, and National Policy and Strategy for Water supply and sanitation services.

The EDPRS II strategic plan for water supply and sanitation sector has the objectives and very ambitious targets aiming to reach 100% coverage rate by 2017 for water supply and sanitation services.  

Sanitation issues needs to be observed as an integrated development strategy because inadequate sanitation services are detrimental to the health and well-being of the population. Water supply and sanitation are inextricably linked as part of the broader development process.

Water and sanitation affects broad areas of economic and social life, including health (in the home, hospitals/clinics, health centres), infrastructure (water schemes, waste water and solid waste treatment, navigation, energy production), education (school sanitary facilities, capacity building), agriculture (irrigation, livestock, forestry), industry (plants, tourism), natural resources management (biodiversity preservation, watershed management), and many others.