"Effective natural water management require mutual partnership of all involved parties". Experts

Garbage moved by erosion and floods from heavy rains

Experts in water management suggest a mutual partnership of all involved parties, for a better solution of natural water management. It includes the primary catchments treatment of rivers that serve the river Nile.

 This call came while communities neighboring rivers around the country suffer consequences of their mistreatment chiefly in the rainy season.

Sebeya River located in Rubavu District, of the western province; is one of the rivers that worsen the livelihood of communities around it especially in periods of heavy rains. This rainfall erodes mountain soil down the rivers to cause the mistreatment of potable water in their treatment plants; which results in water scarcity. 

Mr. Theoneste Nshimyumuremyi who works at Gihira Water Treatment Plant qualify it as the most dangerous effects of water sources mistreatment.

“Our work is to make water from Sebeya River into clean water, in case there is a heavy rainfall, these flooded rivers bring muddy water of soil erosion from the surrounding mountains. he said. Adding "; In that case, the treatment of water became hard and unrealized that impose us to stop the treatment. it cost us the big loss of water scarcity in Rubavu households even the Bralirwa Brewery”

River Nyabarongo water flooded Kigali Roads

River Nyabarongo which is part of the upper headwaters of the river Nile flows all the way toward the real Nile; But the ill-treatment of its catchments, which resulted in floods causes serious problems to the livelihoods of the population and even the destruction of infrastructures like roads.

Kwitonda Philippe who works with Rwanda Water and Forestry Authority, a body mandated to take care of forest and water resources management; commended the tree plantation and the on-hold creation of terraces around the country as the best solution to combat water pollution.

“We conducted a survey locating most eroded areas; we figured out that there is a vast area of the country that needs to be taken care of in terms of erosion management, as we know that soil erosion is the worst water pollutant. Kwitonda recalled. 

He suggested the possible solution by saying ''This means if the government gets terraces dug in the right locations and encourages forests planting; no doubt our water will be safe.”

Effects of mistreated water resources and deforestation

The destruction of land due to soil erosion and flooding doesn’t come as surprise to community members of Kanama sector, in Rubavu District as it takes away their farm’s richest part that nourishes crops, and occurred when rainfalls.

“We face serious effects of eroded soil, chiefly during the rain period when cultivating; we tend to have landslides and mudslides, but where we traced radical terraces it’s a different story as the floods come passing through without causing any harm to the crops and land in general.” said, citizens.

The ministry of natural resources in Rwanda in 2015 traced major drivers of Land degradation including low tree cover, high evapotranspiration, High human and animal population pressure, high soil erosion, bad agriculture practices, low rainfall, and unresponsive governance and policy framework. The Eastern Province in Rwanda is highlighted as the most affected part of the country as they occupy 61316 hectares that equal 47% of the total area highly affected. 

 The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers. It is in this line that Minister Vincent Biruta of Natural Resources called upon mutual partnership and cooperation to achieve this course of water management.

"water in rivers and lakes is becoming more and more a serious problem especially during the dry season for human consumption, livestock, and ecosystems; we need to combine our efforts to come up with sustainable solutions in particular for this region. He said.    Government and development partners cannot take on the landscape and catchments rehabilitation and water shortages challenges on their own. Making sustainable and remarkable progress towards for 2020,2030 even 2050 targets requires involvement and investment commitment from a wide range of stakeholders."

 For the effectiveness of Water resources management, we need the togetherness of involved stakeholders.