Reflections from strengthening creditworthiness of water utilities in Rwanda under Isoko y'Ubuzima

It was fascinating to sit in a room with rural water operators who carry the daily responsibility of running small piped water systems, often serving between 300 and 1,000 connections. These operators are at the frontline of ensuring reliable water services. They read meters, collect payments, repair leaks, manage staff, and respond when systems fail. The continuity of water services in rural communities depends on their work.

The lack of bankable project pipelines has been identified as a major bottleneck in the mobilisation of repayable finance of any type (concessional or commercial; sovereign or non-sovereign; on-lent or on-granted) in support of water infrastructure development in Africa (OECD, 2011; Lakhmeerahan et al. 2020).

In Tano North Municipality, access to safe water and dignified sanitation is no longer a distant hope for thousands of learners, teachers, health workers, patients and community members. For schools that have struggled with inadequate sanitation and healthcare facilities operating without reliable water access, daily life is already beginning to change.

This year's theme for World Water Week 2026 is all about "Water for People and Progress".

National governments across the world face this huge challenge, the pressure of global and national targets that define having to deliver safely managed water and sanitation services for all, while having to address vastly different settings with services being provided under different service delivery models.