Secondary cities are getting overwhelmed by waste and garbage dumps, which have exposed the public to health and environmental concerns.

An environmental and social impact assessment summary report carried out by the Water Sanitation and Corporation (Wasac) notes that secondary cities and towns suffer the most from the lack of centralised waste treatment and recycling facilities.

They include Rusizi, Huye, Rubavu, Musanze, Muhanga, Nyagatare and Karongi.

“The situation is exposing the public to negative health impacts and is leading to the deterioration of the natural ecosystem in the area,” the report notes, adding that the site selected for a landfill is currently utilised as an open field waste disposal site.

The report indicates that in secondary cities like Karongi, solid waste generated within the district is inappropriately disposed of either in open dumpsites or directly into the environment.

The report which echoes sentiments expressed in the recent State of Environment Outlook by the Rwanda Environment Management notes that as urbanization speeds up the waste generated continues to pile up.

Waste in Rubavu, Rusizi and Karongi towns which are located on the shores of Lake Kivu, is contaminating the water resource it notes, while poor solid waste management in Musanze which is located in a lava region where the water table is relatively shallow, poses potential pollution.

However, government officials said that through the African Development Bank, the government has acquired more than RWf5 billion to construct a solid waste and fecal sludge in Rubavu, Musanze, Rusizi and Karongi.

“We are in the procurement process. We expect construction to begin by January next year,” said Dominique Murekezi, head of the Rwanda sustainable water supply and sanitation programme at Wasac.