Water & Sanitation FAQs

• I. General information about licenses issued in water services provision

  • Water supply is one of the sectors regulated by RURA. The water supply sub-sector is mainly classified into urban and rural water supply systems. The Urban water supply services are provided by WASAC LTD (Water and Sanitation Corporation), while the rural water supply systems are under the management of private operators through PPP schemes.

  • The water supply sub-sector is regulated to ensure effective and efficient water supply services to customers as well as the sustainability of water supply infrastructure.

  • The main objectives of regulating water supply services are:

  1. To ensure that water supplied is always of good quality and fits human consumption;
  2. To ensure that adequate supply with enough pressure is received by customers; 
  3. To set up conditions enabling water supply investment; 
  4. To ensure proper and timely customer billing; 
  5. To protect customers against any misconduct from licensees and continually promote their interests;
  6. To ensure that basic human needs for water supply are met;
  7. To promote sustainable, efficient and beneficial use of water;
  8. To promote fair and loyal competition; and 
  9. To promote equitable access to clean water services.

• What are the requirements to get the license/Permit? (Documents required while applying for the license or permit)?

  Below are the requirements for license application

  •Application letter addressed to the Director General;

  •Application form as provided by the regulatory Authority;

  •Domestic company registration certificate issued in in Rwanda if required;

  •Business plan for the proposed services; 

  •Information on technical and managerial capacity of the applicant;

  •A certificate of Environmental Impact Assessment issued by competent authority;

  •Health and Safety Policy;

  •Customer charter where applicable;

  •Relevant agreement/MoU with Districts or other owners of infrastructures;

  •Water permit for ground water or surface water abstraction if required;

  •Any other additional and relevant information that the Regulatory Authority may require

• What are the applicable fees to be paid by the operator?

     Applicable fees in water service provision

  License category		Application fee ( FRW)	License fee ( FRW)	License validity
  Water Utility		500,000	10,000,000	15 years
  Water Supply infrastructure management	Simple Water Systems	50,000	100,000/ year	Contract duration
  	Complex Water Systems	50,000	150,000/ year
  Bulk Water supply		200,000	7,500,000	15 years

• What is the validity of the license/permit?

  a. The validity of Water utility license is fifteen (15) years;

  b. The validity of Water supply infrastructure management license shall depend on an agreement duration with the asset holder; and 

  c. The validity of Bulk water supply license is fifteen(15) years

• When to apply for license renewal?

  (90) days before the expiration of the valid license. 

• What are the documents to submit while applying for license/permit renewal?

  •Application letter addressed to the Director General;

  •Application form as provided by the regulatory Authority;

  •Domestic company registration certificate issued in in Rwanda if required;

  •Business plan for the proposed services; 

  •Information on technical and managerial capacity of the applicant;

  •A certificate of Environmental Impact Assessment issued by competent authority;

  •Health and Safety Policy;

  •Customer charter where applicable;

  •Relevant agreement/MoU with Districts or other owners of infrastructures;

  •Water permit for ground water or surface water abstraction if required;

  •Any other additional and relevant information that the Regulatory Authority may require.

• Where to pay the required fees?

  Application and license fees are paid on RURA’s account number 130-10-54998 opened in COGEBANQUE

  The Regulatory fees are paid on RURA’s account number 1000006633 opened in the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR)

• How long does it take to get the license?

  When all the requirements are fulfilled, license application handling process takes 20 working days

• II. General information about licenses issued in sanitation services provision

  Licenses and/ or permits are issued by RURA to operators providing or wishing to provide the following services:

  •General cleaning (cleaning of buildings, roads sweeping, gardens maintenance and fumigation)

  •Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  •Liquid waste collection and transportation

• What are the requirements to get the license/Permit? (Documents required while applying for the license or permit)?

  A. License for cleaning service provision

  1. Application letter addressed to the Director General of RURA,
  2. Filled application form,
  3. Applicant’s business plan for five years,
  4. Applicant’s “Health and Safety Policy”,
  5. Copy of the certificate of domestic company registration if the applicant is a company or the cooperative certificate from RCA in case the applicant is a cooperative,
  6.  Bank slip for application fee payment,
  7. Copies of workers’ medical insurance;
  8. Two professional staffs (A1 for supervisor and A2 for Accountant)

  B.  License for Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  1. License application letter addressed to the Director General of RURA;
  2. Dully filled application form;
  3. Trade Register Certificate (for Companies) indicating the business activities or RCA certificate for Cooperatives;
  4. Names and qualification certificate of senior technical staff;
  5. Business plan for at least 5 years;
  6. Health and safety policy;
  7. Flow chart of the treatment system with technical specification of its operation;
  8. Copy of operation and maintenance training manual;
  9. Copies of medical insurances for employees;
  10. Proof of payment of application fee.

  C. License for liquid waste collection and transportation

  1. An application letter addressed to the Director General; 
  2. A dully filled application form;
  3. Domestic company registration certificate for a company and legal personality for cooperative (RCA certificate);
  4. Health and safety policy of the applicant;
  5. Copy of vehicle registration for vehicle used for liquid waste collection and transportation;
  6. Copy of contract with the owner of disposal site for liquid waste disposal; 
  7. Five (5) years business plan;
  8. Copies of medical insurances for employees;
  9. Motor vehicle inspection certificate and 
  10. Bank slip of license application fee of twenty-five thousand Rwandan francs (25.000 FRw); 

• What are the requirements to get the license/Permit? (Documents required while applying for the license or permit)

  A. License for cleaning service provision

  1. Application letter addressed to the Director General of RURA,
  2. Filled application form,
  3. Applicant’s business plan for five years,
  4. Applicant’s “Health and Safety Policy”,
  5. Copy of the certificate of domestic company registration if the applicant is a company or the cooperative certificate from RCA in case the applicant is a cooperative,
  6.  Bank slip for application fee payment,
  7. Copies of workers’ medical insurance;
  8. Two professional staffs (A1 for supervisor and A2 for Accountant)

  B.  License for Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  1. License application letter addressed to the Director General of RURA;
  2. Dully filled application form;
  3. Trade Register Certificate (for Companies) indicating the business activities or RCA certificate for Cooperatives;
  4. Names and qualification certificate of senior technical staff;
  5. Business plan for at least 5 years;
  6. Health and safety policy;
  7. Flow chart of the treatment system with technical specification of its operation;
  8. Copy of operation and maintenance training manual;
  9. Copies of medical insurances for employees;
  10. Proof of payment of application fee.

  C. License for liquid waste collection and transportation

  1. An application letter addressed to the Director General; 
  2. A dully filled application form;
  3. Domestic company registration certificate for a company and legal personality for cooperative (RCA certificate);
  4. Health and safety policy of the applicant;
  5. Copy of vehicle registration for vehicle used for liquid waste collection and transportation;
  6. Copy of contract with the owner of disposal site for liquid waste disposal; 
  7. Five (5) years business plan;
  8. Copies of medical insurances for employees;
  9. Motor vehicle inspection certificate and 
  10. Bank slip of license application fee of twenty-five thousand Rwandan francs (25.000 FRw); 

• What are the applicable fees to be paid by the operator?

  A. Applicable fees in cleaning service provision

  1. License application fee of 100,000 FRw (paid at the time of license application),
  2. License fee of 500,000 FRw (paid upon issuance of license),
  3. Regulatory fee calculated as a percentage of annual turnover (currently 0.3%)

  B. Applicable fees in Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  1. License application fee of 50,000 FRw (paid at the time of license application),
  2. License fee of 500,000 FRw (paid upon issuance of license),
  3. Regulatory fee calculated as a percentage of annual turnover (currently 0.3%)

  C. Applicable fees in Liquid waste collection and transportation

  1. License application fee: 25,000 FRw
  2. License fee: 200,000 FRw
  3. Regulatory fee calculated as a percentage of annual turnover (currently 0.3%)

• What is the validity of the license/permit

  In cleaning service provision

  • Five (5) years renewable upon compliance with previous license terms and conditions

  In Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  • Five (5) years renewable upon compliance with previous license terms and conditions

  In Liquid waste collection and transportation

  • Five (5) years renewable upon compliance with previous license terms and conditions

• When to apply for license renewal?

  1. In cleaning service provision: 2 months before the expiry date of the previous license

  1. In Installation of wastewater treatment system: 2 months before the expiry date of the previous license

  1. In Liquid waste collection and transportation: 2 months before the expiry date of the previous license

• What are the documents to submit while applying for license/permit renewal?

  •  For cleaning service provision

  1. Application letter addressed to the director General requesting for the renewal of the license
  2. Copy of expiring license
  3. Health and safety policy
  4. Copy of the certificate of domestic company registration if the applicant is a company or the cooperative certificate from RCA in case the applicant is a cooperative,
  5. Copy of degree of two professional staffs (A1 for supervisor and A2 Accountant);
  6. Proof of payment of Regulatory fees for the previous license term.

  • For Installation of wastewater treatment systems

  1. Application letter addressed to the Director General of RURA;
  2. Copy of the expiring license;
  3. Applicant registration certificate;
  4. Dully filled application form and 
  5. Proof of payment of regulatory fees for the previous years.

  •  For Liquid waste collection and transportation

  1. Application letter addressed to the Director General of the Regulatory Authority;
  2. Copy of the current   license;
  3. Copies of vehicles registration, insurance and motor vehicle inspection certificates;
  4. Copy of contract or agreement with the owner of disposal site for liquid waste disposal;
  5. Proof of payment of regulatory fees for previous years.

• Where to pay the required fees?

  Application and license fees are paid on RURA’s account number 130-10-54998 opened in COGEBANQUE

  The Regulatory fees are paid on RURA’s account number 1000006633 opened in the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR)

• How long does it take to get the license?

  When all the requirements are fulfilled, license application handling process takes between 5 and 10 working days.