In a validation meeting, water resources managers and experts have highlighted a need for Rwanda to establish an efficient and equitable water allocation and utilization framework where Rain Water Harvesting system is taken into consideration.
Water managers revealed that public buildings and private houses equipped with Rain Water Harvesting facilities are still few while the demand and use of water resources are increasing.
In his presentation, Lakew Desta, an Ethiopian Consultant in water sector noted that Rwanda remains a water-scarce country where the per capita fresh water availability is less than 1000 m3 which is about a quarter of Africa’s average of 4,000 m3.
Experts said that insufficient knowledge and skills in rain water harvesting and Integrated Water Resources Management among partner institutions and stakeholders are among the causes for Rwanda to remain a water scarcity country.
He however, added that implementing the present strategy will help in reducing the gap.
Vincent de Paul Kabalisa, the Deputy Director General in charge of Water Resources in Rwanda Natural Resources Authority said that adoption of rain water harvesting facilities and techniques would help to minimize the scarcity of water in Rwanda.
He added that people might be aware of the significant role of rain water in their daily life.
Kabalisa pointed out that harvesting rain water will not only helping to access water but also it will play significant role in other sectors including fight against floods and soil erosion.
Gaston Ndayisaba is the current coordinator in charge of Rain water harvesting pilot project known us French acronym “ CUEP” ( Collecte et Utilisation des Eaux de Pluie) .
He noted that implementing the strategy of rain water harvesting will be a good way to eradicate issues relevant to water scarcity and reducing calamities that might be caused by rain water including regularly occurring floods..
According to building and Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations by MININFRA (2009); there is a need to include Rain Water Harvesting among the strategies for sustainable management of water resources.
Since 2007, MINIRENA with support of African Water Facility (AWF/ADB) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) development partners launched a rain water harvesting system.
At the beginning, the project was introduced as a pilot project in Eastern and Southern Provinces of Rwanda in districts of Bugesera, Rwamagana, Kayonza, Gatsibo, Kamonyi and Nyaruguru
Since then, Ndayisaba said “the situation of access to water for agriculture and domestic uses was improved by providing rainwater harvesting facilities for selected schools, communities and individual and vulnerable households”.
Gaston Ndayisaba, the project coordinator, acknowledged that the pilot project impacted positively on governmental programs such as one cow per family known as “ Girinka munyarwanda”, household kitchen gardens “ Akarima k’igikoni, zero grazing, greening schools, and hygiene and sanitation in schools as well.
Pressures of rapidly changing demographic patterns; demands of intensified socio-economic development; environmental degradation; and uncertainties created by climate change, all of these challenges are among the causes to establish National strategy for Rain Water Harvesting and Management.
It is projected that by 2017, 10% of public and private building should be equipped with Rain water harvesting facilities for domestic purposes.
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