Daily water-treatment capacity increased to 367,176 cubic metres in the 2025/2026 fiscal year, up from 346,736 cubic metres a year earlier, as the government continues to expand clean-water infrastructure.
The Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) said 89.7 per cent of the population had access to clean water, with the government targeting universal access by 2029 under the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
Canoth Manishimwe, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, presented the figures on Tuesday while briefing members of Parliament’s Committee on Governance and Gender Equality on measures to improve water services.
He said the government was continuing to expand water infrastructure and increase treatment capacity to improve supply and address shortages that persist in some areas.
The total length of water networks reached 36,674 kilometres in the 2025/2026 fiscal year, compared with 35,538 kilometres in the previous fiscal year, according to the ministry. The expansion is intended to bring water services closer to communities and improve distribution.
The number of WASAC Group branches also rose from 20 to 32, a move intended to improve service delivery and make water services more accessible to residents.
MININFRA attributed the increase in treatment capacity partly to new water infrastructure, including treatment plants in Sake, Muhazi, the Kivu Belt, the Volcano Belt and Ngororero.
The projects are intended to increase the amount of treated water available, improve access and help address supply problems in areas where shortages remain.
Although the reported clean-water access rate has reached 89.7 per cent, the government still faces the task of extending services to the remaining population while ensuring existing systems can meet demand.
Under NST2, the government aims to achieve universal clean-water access by 2029. Meeting that target will require continued investment in treatment facilities, distribution networks and the systems needed to deliver water reliably to households across the country.
