Christelle Ininahazwe, Customer Relationship Manager at the Amazi.rw sales store.
Water Access Rwanda, through a new initiative named: amazi.rw is aiming to increase rain water harvesting and safe access to water in Kigali households, schools and churches: this is done through a project that is supported by Rwanda Water Board.
Water Access Rwanda is a social enterprise committed to increase access to clean and safe water for all people starting in Rwanda. Through a set of unique solutions designed for households, communities, private businesses and farms, Water Access Rwanda make sure your water is affordable, reliable, and always safe. Water Access Rwanda has been operating in the water sector for 7 years since 2014.
Water Access Rwanda uses innovative technological solutions and financial models to solve critical issues related to water access and productive usage of water.
“A lot of rainwater tanks are installed incorrectly, they harvest both the rain water but also all the dirt from roofs. But there are simple technologies, like our first flush diverter, that can ensure only the safe rainwater is harvested”
In August last year, Water Access Rwanda received a grant from Water Board with the purpose to support further development of Amazi.rw and dissemination into more households, churches and schools.
The main activities of the supported project included running a pilot for a select number of schools, households and churches, as well as training plumbers on how to better install rainwater harvesting tanks and understand how to keep water safe and treat water.
Generally, rainwater in Rwanda has a bad reputation. This is mainly due to how rainwater harvesting is currently done. Without proper installation, everything from the roof including dust, bird poop, and smog from cars collects in the rainwater tank.
But with Water Access Rwanda’s First Flush Diverter known as roof washer, diverts the first flow of the dirty rainwater away from the tank ensuring only the clean water is harvested. With the support from Water Board, Water Access Rwanda installed the filtration systems for selected candidates for the pilot’s project as part of Milestone 1 of the project.
So far, the rainwater harvesting, and water filtration knowledge have been increased through public radio and social media campaigns as well as the training and certification of 51 plumbers including 22 females.
7 systems consisting of first flush diverters and point of entry filtration systems were installed: 2 for schools, 1 for a church and 4 for households.
2100 students are currently using the purified water at the two schools in the selected pilot participants.
Among key results of the pilot, major benefits on the pilot participants were noticed: for example, participants noticed major savings on water bills value given to rainwater and rainwater harvesting have been increased, quality and quantity of harvested rainwater improved.
“Amazi.rw has been a lifesaving project for our household and we are very thankful to Water Access Rwanda and its leadership who came up with this solution and choose us as pilot.” Says Rwiyamirira Appolinare, one of the beneficiaries.
To make sure that Amazi.rw filters are available near our customers, Water Access Rwanda opened a store at Rwandex in the Prestige building to join the existing amazi.rw website, where many have already placed their orders.
Water Access Rwanda customers will have the option to order products in person or online as Amazi.rw. We will soon also launch a mobile application available on Android and iOS where customers can track their filtration system, make payments/savings and order for any replacement easily.
As Water Access Rwanda proceeds with the project, the next milestone will see the system rolled out in more than 200 homes. Households willing to harvest more rainwater may even benefit from a discount through the partnership with RWB.
In order to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure long-term water security, the country has set targets to increase artificial storage of water. “Water Access Rwanda appreciates the support of Rwanda Water Board and continued good collaboration to fast-track citizen’s adoption of rainwater harvesting systems in urban areas along the Nyabugogo Catchment, as we are looking forward to a better 2021 and continuing our fight to end the water crisis”, says Christelle ININAHAZWE the Customer Relationship Manager. (End)