Over 100,000 Lubero residents face clean water shortage amid aging infrastructure

Lubero, a rural commune in North Kivu, is grappling with a critical water shortage affecting over 100,000 inhabitants and thousands of displaced individuals. The scarcity, which has persisted for months, stems from an inadequate water supply network unable to cope with the region's demographic growth.

The commune relies on six small-scale water supply systems drawing from neighboring areas. However, these systems, dating back to 1988, are severely dilapidated and insufficient for the current population. Many water points have run dry, particularly during peak hours, leaving numerous households without water for days. This forces women and girls to undertake arduous journeys to find water, a task made more dangerous by the ongoing insecurity in the region due to armed groups.

Mumbere Sadiki Kahunde, director of Lubero's water supply network, highlighted the dramatic population increase as a primary cause. "The water does not cover all the cells of the commune due to the very advanced deterioration of the collection points, but also of the water supply kiosks, which date from 1988," he stated. "The city of Lubero had 22,000 inhabitants then. Today, the population has grown to 102,000 inhabitants. The initial population has quadrupled."

The situation is further strained by the presence of thousands of displaced people within the commune, significantly increasing the demand for potable water. The lack of sufficient water supply poses serious health risks and complicates the daily lives of an already vulnerable population.

“

The water does not cover all the cells of the commune due to the very advanced deterioration of the collection points, but also of the water supply kiosks, which date from 1988. The city of Lubero had 22,000 inhabitants then. Today, the population has grown to 102,000 inhabitants. The initial population has quadrupled.