Blantyre Water Board (BWB) has embarked on the implementation of Blantyre Peri-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project with funding from EU and European Investment Bank to address safe and sustainable water supply and basic sanitation and improve living conditions.

The four year project is worth €15 million and is being implemented with the technical assistance of Vitens-Evides International from Netherlands.

According to BWB, the project, which started last year, will among other things bring safe drinking water to some 311,000 additional people in Blantyre and ensure a 24 hour water supply for 408,000 people in Blantyre.

“By the end of the project, a large improvement in the customer base will be observed. It is expected that 18,684 new connections will be made, 363 new kiosks will be constructed and connected,” explained BWB acting Chief Executive of Andrew Thawe.

Thawe was making a presentation to the Minister of Irrigation and Water Development Richie Muheya during a familiarisation tour at the board on Tuesday.

He said another initiative being undertaken is the feasibility study and preliminary design for an alternative water source.

“New source investigations are underway and preliminary designs are to be completed by June 2010 but development of the new water source will depend on timely identification of financing.

“We have identified a number of new sources which include Namadzi, Lirangwe and Magomelo dams but we are yet to discuss with the government on which alternatives to choose,” Thawe said.

He said these initiatives will among other things help to reduce costs which are incurred when pumping water from Shire River as it would be cheaper to pump water from the suggested areas.

Commenting of the development, Muheya welcomed BWB’s initiatives as they would help to reduce the problem of water in Blantyre due to, among other things, an aged water pumping system which dates back 1960’s.

“We know that Blantyre city has been facing water problems for the past four years because of, among other things, challenges of the old water pumping system. As government, we are committed to making sure that each and every person in the country has access to safe water because water is life,” he said.

He also promised the board’s management and staff that government would look into the problems which were presented to him during the tour.

Among other challenges being faced by the board are acute understaffing, lack of equipment and spare parts and under-funding.

During the tour, Muheya visited the regional water development office, Blantyre Water Board headquarters and the Walker’s Ferry.

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