Joëlle in Burundi has drinking water at last

Like many others living in the Kamesa neighbourhood of Burundi's capital, Bujumbura, Joëlle and her children used to fall ill regularly because of their water, which they fetched from the river passing close to their home. The nearest clean water source was simply too far away.

But in 2017, the ICRC expanded a water distribution system in collaboration with the Burundian utility REGIDESO, connecting 32 water sources to 23 standpipes. Today, drinking water from the surrounding hills supplies numerous standpipes close to Joëlle's home – she just has to open her door and there it is! In all, 56,000 people in the Kamesa area now have better access to clean water.

The ICRC also helped build a 150 m3 reservoir to serve Kamesa and neighbouring Musaga. The overflow from the reservoir is connected to the existing water distribution system and increases the flow. Since the end of 2017, REGIDESO has been fully responsible for managing the system and distributing the water.