Abstract
Kigali city, the capital of Rwanda, relies on decentralized, on-site, wastewater systems due to the absence of central sewerage systems and the limited finances to construct sustainable sanitation infrastructures. However, the city has increasingly shown failures in managing these on-site systems either at individual or collective levels. This study aims at assessing the sustainability of the operated collective public semicentralized sewage systems in Kigali city. To fully cover the sustainability assessment of such collective systems, the methods used were field observation, questionnaires, interviews, and laboratory tests. The study also reviewed the influence of national ruling sanitation legal instruments in addressing development, operation and management of such decentralized wastewater systems. The results showed that the sustainability levels of these systems were low in the technical, socioeconomic status, institutional, and legal dimensions. While the sustainability level was fair for the environmental quality. In conclusion, the research highlighted that the improved sanitation coverage does not mean coverage in terms of sewerage connection proportions for wastewater collection as these connections do not imply safe and sustainable treatment before being discharged into the environment.
Highlights
Sanitation is one of the critical and essential infrastructure sectors for well-being health and environmental sustainability [1]
According to thematic report utilities and amenities approved in March 2016, EICV4, 81.6% of the improved sanitation in Rwanda used pit latrines with solid slab due to the absence of sewage system/network in the country [7]
Due to the poor governmental monitoring the standards for their discharged treated wastewater do not meet the national standards [8]
Summary
Sanitation is one of the critical and essential infrastructure sectors for well-being health and environmental sustainability [1]. Wastewater management has been one of the main challenges that faces developing countries due to population growth and the lack of sanitation and wastewater management practices [2,3]. 80–90% of the generated wastewaters in developing countries are discharged directly into water bodies [4]. 62% of the urban population in sub-Saharan Africa disposes wastewater directly to water bodies due to the lack of sanitation infrastructures [5]. Despite the fact that Rwanda as a country achieved MDG targets on improved sanitation, there are still unsafe and unreliable decentralized wastewater treatment practices [6]. Hospitals, and big commercial buildings are obligatory required to install private SCSSs for the treatment of their wastewater before being discharged into the environment. Due to the poor governmental monitoring the standards for their discharged treated wastewater do not meet the national standards [8]
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