Water quality, quantity and accessibility assessment: volcanoes national park region experience in Rwanda

Author: 
Fabrice NKURUNZIZA

This study ‘Water Quality, quantity and accessibility Assessment: Volcanoes national park region experience in Rwanda’ established the ways in which water is used, the level of demand, the level of supply, water quality, water quantity and accessibility around Volcanoes nation park of Rwanda. It has been hypothesised that there is a very high demand for water, lower lever of access due to population pressure and limited water sources. A total of 329 household were randomly selected in region around volcanoes national park of Rwanda, and were interviewed through well-structured interviewing schedule under multistage sampling technique. According to the sampled area the average size of private households in region sampled was 4.2 persons, not far from of Fourth Rwanda Population and Housing Census 4.3 persons (NISR, 2012), as result shown 60.8 % of respondents revealed to use 1 to 3 jerricans of water per day, and 1 jerrican is equal to 20 litres, means that the average water consumption per capita in region around volcanoes national park is estimated between 4.7 and 12.3 litres per day which is below minimum as required by WHO, In terms of accessibility as determined primarily by distance and time, 21.58 % of respondents fetch water in distance which is more than 1000 meters and is defined as no access by WHO, and 38.91% of respondents take more than 30 minutes to collect water, in terms of water quality for drinking, cooking, washing and bathing, 71.2 % of the respondents perceived water to be clean and fairly clean in region around volcanoes national park. Thus, it was suggested that provision of safe drinking water to common people must be ensured mostly in region around volcanoes national park, since this region has not attained minimum requirements in terms of water quality and quantity consumption as required by WHO, and that for successful implementation of water programs in region, it is important that community members get fully involved in all processes of the program.

Paper No: 
866