A trip to exchange knowledge and expertise and build relationships to better protect the waters of the Lake Tanganyika. A delegation from the Burundian Office of Urban Planning, Housing and Construction “OBUHA”, and of the LATAWAMA project of Enabel, have carried out, October 2022, a study trip in Belgium under the theme of urban wastewater management.
The purpose of this trip was also to emphasize contact between the member countries of the Lake Tanganyika Authority (LTA) working in the public services of wastewater collection and treatment and the Belgian operators involved in the financing, planning, implementation, and maintenance of urban wastewater management infrastructures. Indeed, to protect Lake Tanganyika, continuous improvement of wastewater management services is essential to reduce the pollution of the Lake upstream.
This was an inspiring opportunity to meet Belgian public operators and companies active in the field of wastewater management such as the “Société Publique de Gestion de l’Eau (SPGE)”, the Intercommunale Namuroise de Services Publics, INASEP, Wallonie-Bruxelles International, the water quality analysis laboratory of the “Société Wallonne des Eaux”, etc.
The issues related to the recovery of the cost of sanitation services, the management of collection networks, and the monitoring of the purification performance of wastewater treatment plants can inspire the LTA countries, says a participant. The visit is part of the LATAWAMA project implemented by Enabel Burundi and ALT and funded by the European Union.