Karongi District Achieves 96% Access to Clean Water as Rwanda Targets Full Coverage by 2029

Access to clean water in Karongi District has reached 96%, marking a major milestone in Rwanda’s national goal of ensuring universal access to safe drinking water by 2029, according to local officials.

Residents are considered to have access to clean water if they live within 500 meters of a water tap in rural areas or 200 meters in urban settings.

During the end-of-October community service (Umuganda) event attended by Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva, the Mayor of Karongi District, Muzungu Gelard, praised the government’s efforts to expand water infrastructure across the district.

“We have reached a satisfactory level in terms of access to clean water,” he said. “The upcoming Kivu Belt Water Supply System will further extend access to several sectors in Karongi town.”

Residents have already begun to see the impact of these projects. Mukantabana Xaverine, from Rugabano Sector, shared how the new water connections have improved daily life.“We didn’t have clean water before. We had to walk down to the valley for 30 minutes to fetch water, and carrying a 20-liter jerrycan uphill was exhausting,” she said. “Now that water is nearby, I can bathe and wash clothes regularly. Before, we could go two or three days without bathing just to save water.”

The Acting Director of the National Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Agency (WASAC) in Karongi, Niyishimwa Fidèle, confirmed that clean water access in the district now stands at 96%. He attributed the success largely to the Karongi WASH Project, a partnership between the District and Water for People, which has been active in all 13 sectors since 2020.

“I think there is no place in Karongi where you can’t find a water source,” Niyishimwa noted. “Our next step is to increase supply capacity, which is why we are completing a water treatment plant that is now 85% finished.”

Looking ahead, officials are confident that the Kivu Belt Water Supply System, set to begin soon, will help achieve 100% clean water access in Karongi by 2029.

This achievement underscores Rwanda’s broader commitment to improving public health, sanitation, and quality of life through sustainable water infrastructure development.