Nyagatare, 8th August, 2015- The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC Ltd) launched Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Program Phase II (LVWATSAN II).

The program was launched by Honourable Minister of Infrastructure, James Musoni, who urged beneficiaries to have full ownership, supervision and ensure proper maintenance of the set up infrastructure projects as they will also provide employment opportunities to raise the house hold incomes of the citizens.

The Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Program Phase II (LVWATSAN II) is a Regional Program covering the countries that form the East African Community namely; Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The Program is being implemented under the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) of the East African Community (EAC) with focus to solve the challenge of insufficient water which is a bottleneck to urbanisation.

The water treatment plant which is projected to be completed by September 2016 will supply 2300m3 daily. This will complement the current 6000m3 from Cyondo water treatment plant to feed urban areas in Nyagatare, Kayonza in the Eastern Province and Nyanza in the Southern Province.

This Project is aimed at providing improved water supply services to the population living in the Nyagatare District through improved water infrastructure. Fred Sabiti Atuhe, the Mayor of Nyagatare District, said once completed, the plant will facilitate universal access to water in the district’s urban area.

“Our town has always faced the challenge of insufficient water, which has always hindered development.”

Currently, only 56 per cent of dwellers in Nyagatare have access to safe water, but once the plant is completed, 64 per cent of the residents will access water. We hope this will complement other initiatives by the district to enable us achieve 100 per cent water coverage in the district.

The project is funded by African Development Bank and Government of Rwanda 

The Government of Rwanda received a Grant of UA 15.11 million from African Development Fund (ADF) through Lake Victoria Water Supply and Sanitation Program Phase II (LVWATSAN II) and the Government of Rwanda invested UA2.57 Million  to develop water supply and sanitation infrastructure in the focal towns of Nyagatare, Kayonza and Nyanza.  It is intended to promote water supply, hygiene and environmental sanitation, urban drainage improvement, capacity building and program management. 

TESTIMONIES

Alphonsine Mukakarezi, a house wife at Mashaka in Rwempasha thanked the Government of Rwanda for providing water; “Honourable Minister, we are now clean as house wives, our children are clean and our husbands are happy with us, no more water borne diseases in our families and no more wastage of time looking for water.”

Erica Poteri a 75 year old man “my cows are healthy and good looking because now they drink clean water nearby my home, I no longer travel long distances looking for water for my cows, so without talking much, we are proud of good governance, Hon.Minister, take our sincere greetings and many thanks to our President, HE. Paul Kagame to have thought of us, now enjoying clean, safe and reliable water resources in Mashaka cell”