In the Kirehe district, in eastern Rwanda, a former diesel-powered water system was replaced by solar cells in 2023. This has led to halving operating costs and more residents have had the opportunity to connect to water taps. 22,000 people living in the area now have access to clean water through the water system. This is what UNICEF USA writes in an article on its website. It is UNICEF together with World Vision and the Rwanda Water and Sanitation Corporation that has supported the district in the work on renewing the water system. Secretary-General of UNICEF Norway, Maria Greenberg Bergheim, gives us an insight into the positive development the project has for the local community in the Kirehe district. – The new water points are much closer to people’s homes and in a busy area where people live and work. Seven schools, two health centers and a health center are also connected to the water mains. Now people don’t have to walk far to fetch water, and children have more time to play or go to school. – In addition, sustainable water systems help people to adapt to drought and climate change, explains Bergheim. The transition from a diesel-powered to a solar-powered water system makes the district better able to both prevent climate change and adapt to more extreme weather. Solar panels reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve air quality locally, compared to diesel. In addition, the solar-powered water system can both pump and store more water, making it better suited to maintaining water supplies during droughts. Access to clean drinking water is increasing globally The improvement in water access in Kirehe district is not unique. Between 2015 and 2022, the proportion of the world’s population that has access to safe drinking water increased from 69 to 73 percent. This is shown in the UN’s latest report on how things are going with the sustainability goals. The increase means that an additional 687 million people gained access to clean water close to where they live. Clean drinking water, safe sanitary conditions and good hygiene are some of the most important prerequisites for good health. A report from the World Health Organization has estimated that at least 1.4 million deaths in the world in 2019 were the result of a lack of this. When more people have access to basic facilities, it can protect against water-borne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera, which can save many lives each year. Positive for girls in Kirehe district With the new water system in Kirehe district, residents do not have to walk as far as before to collect water. This is particularly positive for the girls’ everyday life, as it is often the girls who provide the water supply for the family. – In a society with good access to clean water, especially girls and women get a better quality of life. Instead of spending time getting water, they can go to school, work and spend more time on their own family and their own lives, explains Bergheim. The time they save they can now use in other arenas that are important to them, which is good for gender equality. In addition, the shorter route to the water taps is safer for the girls fetching water. – It provides security and better security when you don’t have to go far to collect water, especially in areas where there is conflict or violence that often targets women, explains Bergheim. Sustainable solutions There is still a long way to go before the entire world’s population has access to safe drinking water, which is the ambition of the sustainability goals. Nevertheless, the development is a step in the right direction. According to Bergheim, we need more innovation and more smart solutions going forward to cover the need for water supply in the years to come, especially because climate change and pollution prevent water access. To achieve this, funding is needed. – Getting enough electricity for water supply is a big challenge, and here we need clean energy to get the water. We need smart and sustainable solutions, such as solar-powered water systems, which are easy to maintain and which can be used where people live, urges Bergheim. Furthermore, Bergheim points out that it is important to ensure that the local community itself gets to decide and have ownership of the water system. The projects must both be sustainable and maintained in order for them to last. Local measures to improve water supply through renewable energy, as in Rwanda, are not only important for access to water in itself, but also contribute to a number of other positive effects for society.
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More people have access to clean water
