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FDW SCALE project in Rwanda

  • Rwanda
  • Rwanda - Water & Sanitation Corporation (WASAC)
  • 31-03-2025
Region: Nyagatare and Rwamagana branches of WASAC
Period: 2019-2025
Project partners: Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC), WaterAid Rwanda and the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Rwanda (MININFRA)
Funding: Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) under the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (RVO)

Scaling universal access to safe and climate resilient water services in Rwanda, with focus on small towns (SCALE)

The Government of Rwanda [GoR] has set ambitious targets for provision of water and sanitation services to achieve 100% access to water services in all of its urban areas by 2024. Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC) being the main provider of (Urban) water (and sanitation) services in Rwanda, sought partnership with VEI to support them in pursuing these ambitious water supply targets by strengthening WASAC’s capacity. The support is through a Water Operators Partnership (WOP) project titled Scaling universal access to safe and climate resilient water services in Rwanda, with focus on small towns – SCALE.

In addition to VEI and WASAC, the SCALE project partnership includes WaterAid Rwanda and the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Rwanda (MININFRA). While WaterAid brings, to the partnership, vast experience in pro-poor water supply, the Ministry of Infrastructure, advises and supports WASAC to achieve project objectives and align them to the vision of the Government of Rwanda.

SCALE project is 60% co-funded by the Sustainable Water Fund (FDW) under the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On behalf of the Dutch Government, the project is managed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The project started in January 2019 and is expected to be completed by the end of March 2025.

Project Area

SCALE project programs are being implemented in two target branches of WASAC namely Rwamagana and Nyagatare. The best practices in the two target branches shall then be shared (replicated) in the remaining 12 (upcountry) WASAC branches through a benchmarking framework.

Project components

The project SCALE comprises of six components referred to as Work Packages (WPs), as described below:

  1. Project inception (WP1):
    This is the preparatory phase of the project during which detailed project diagnosis was done to establish among others, a baseline situation and develop a detailed implementation and M&E plans. Inception phase was completed end November 2019.
  2. Increase access to water provision (WP2):   
    In this work package, 100,000 people will be provided with safe and affordable drinking water. In addition, 12 schools in the target districts will be provided with rainwater harvesting schemes and pupils and teachers trained about hygiene promotion. A climate resilient and social inclusive investment plan for the target branches will also be developed.
  3. Financially sustainable water services in Nyagatare and Rwamagana branches (WP3):  
    This work package, aims to reach financial sustainability of WASAC’s water services by full scale Non-Revenue Water (NRW) reduction in the target branches. The successful implementation of this work package will be essential to WASAC to recover costs for water services operation and depreciation, while urban residents supplied by WASAC will benefit from the increased continuity and quality of their water services. SCALE will focus on actual NRW reduction, from above 55% (at the project start) to less than 25%.
  4. Integrating Water Safety Plans and quality control (WP4):   
    With expertise from VEI, WASAC staff are, for the first time, being trained in the development and integration of a Water Safety Plan (WSP).
  5. Benchmarking/ Branchmarking (WP5):        
    The interventions in WP 2-4 will be documented and validated for demonstration and replication in the rest of urban upcountry branches of WASAC, while contributing to the existing processes of benchmarking and knowledge exchange within WASAC.
  6. Project Closure (WP6):           
    This WP will include financial and administrative closure of the project and its final audit and evaluation.

For more information, please contact:

Asaph Kabaasha, Project Manager Rwanda
asaph.kabaasha@vei.nl

VEI Experts with WASAC’s Karenge WTP staff in Rwamagana Branch

Asaph Kabaasha

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