Burundi: 56,000 people gain easy access to clean drinking water

  • The population southwest of Bujumbura now has easier access to drinking water, thanks to an ICRC water-supply project carried out in partnership with REGIDESO, Burundi’s water company.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
  • People living on Buhonga hill, southwest of the capital, can now get water from six refurbished spring-fed tap stands and a new water tower. Women and children will no longer have to walk long distances to collect drinking water.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
  • Water from 32 natural springs is drawn from the surrounding hills to feed the water tower below.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
  • Any surplus from the 150-m3 tank will increase water pressure in the system for the greater area.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
  • The November 2017 ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Burundi’s Minister of Energy and Mining. The project has improved the quality and availability of water in the area and reduced the risk of water-borne diseases.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
  • Many local residents attended the celebration, which was made all the more special by tambourine-playing and traditional dances.
    CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Vanessa Sharp
29 January 2018

To improve water access for people living south of Bujumbura and reduce the risk of water-borne diseases, the ICRC and REGIDESO refurbished existing tap stands and built a water tower. The tower feeds new tap stands below and increases water pressure in the greater area south of the city.