▁access ▁to ▁water ▁supply ▁in ▁rural ▁areas ▁from ▁ 5 7 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 7 1 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁according ▁to ▁government ▁figures . ▁ ▁Urban ▁areas ▁W AS AC ▁is ▁a ▁company ▁that ▁dist ributes ▁water ▁in ▁R w anda . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁national ▁utility , ▁the ▁company ▁has ▁been ▁in ▁existence ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁as ▁E LECT RO GA Z . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁the ▁water , ▁electric ity ▁and ▁gas ▁utility ▁" REG ID ES O " ▁was ▁established ▁to ▁supply ▁water , ▁electric ity ▁and ▁gas ▁to ▁R w anda - U rund i ▁with ▁its ▁seat ▁in ▁Bu j umb ura . ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁later ▁divided ▁into ▁RE G ID ES O ▁R w anda ▁and ▁RE G ID ES O ▁Bur und i ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁RE G ID ES O ▁R w anda ▁became ▁the ▁state - owned ▁mon opol y ▁E LECT RO GA Z . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁the ▁government ▁signed ▁a ▁management ▁contract ▁with ▁L ah me yer ▁International ▁to ▁manage ▁and ▁rest ruct ure ▁E LECT RO GA Z ▁in ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Hamburg ▁Water ▁Works ▁for ▁ 5 ▁years . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁management ▁contract ▁was ▁terminated ▁and ▁management ▁of ▁the ▁company ▁revert ed ▁to ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁R w anda