The problem of water crisis in Goma which adds more problems on the situation faced by the population

Background information Fond our the report here attached ” Water challenges in Goma

Residents moving up and down looking for water and unfortunately in many cases they are not given accurate information

The current water installation in Goma have existed for more than 30 years when the City had a small number of people, with various wars since 1990 up to now, million of Internally Displaced Persons moved to Goma, on top of that millions of refugees generally from Rwanda also came since 1994 up now, and of the recent the current war in North Kivu has pushed more than 3million in and around Goma. For the water company the other challenge is that most of people who consume water do not often pay for it at the end of the month and that creates a financial gap. And lastly we are currently in the dry season which has reduced water and made go deeper in the lake.

All these people have put much pressure on the daily demands of water and according to the water company, the machines keep on breaking because they over used.

Water in Goma is generally supplied by the Government department, but also by private sector who are not yet so much competitive.

For some people getting water is a miracle, something to pray for and that alone takes more time, women and young girls spend half a day just on water, cases of deaths are reported and those who have been sexually abused when they wake up early in the morning to look for water.

However Goma is just on shore of Lake Kivu which gives it more opportunities to provide water to everyone in case it may be planned.

People who consume water have often indicated that they are asked to pay for water which they did not consume, sometimes people take long without seeing someone to collect them and in most cases water is not just in their taps.

Generally a Jerrican of water which was sold at 100CF is now sold at 500CF in some places and at 1000 in other places which are far and still getting is luxury for some people in Goma.

INSECURITY

As water becomes a challenge, Goma is also hit by a generalized insecurity especially at night and in the evening which is caused by assassination, killings, armed robery, gunshot, abduction, kidnapping, house break-in and rape including other forms of sexual abuses against women generally.

ADVOCACY AND CALL FOR ACTION

As organization we continue calling upon the Water Company called REGIDESO to work hard in order to fix this problem of water so that people can feel protected and women can engage in productivity,

• The water Company should mobilize the necessary money in order to supply water to most of people and at the same time enourage and promote private investment in this sector,
• To multiply water taps and water closer to people’s places of residence so that they may reduce distances and the number of people per water tap in the area, this will save a lot of time,
• The private sector should also come in and focus in areas that are fully covered by water in the city,

The government should end insecurity  

• Both the provincial and national government should work hard in order to establish security in the city so that people can easily get involved in their various activities,
• The Government should put order in all security services who are decried as basis of the growing insecurity in Goma, this will require also the deployment of the police in order to reduce insecurity,

Done in Goma, July 15th, 2024.

COJESKI North Kivu.