Excitement as Salima/Lilongwe Water Supply project progresses into construction phase
The Salima/Lilongwe Water Supply project aimed at enhancing water access in Malawi’s capital city and transit communities has officially entered its construction phase, marking a vital step towards realization of the highly anticipated mega water project.
The project, which involves the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) framework, includes extensive hydrographic and geological surveys to facilitate the development of underwater piping that will source clean water 5 kilometers from the coastal line into the lake body.
As part of the engineering component, hydrographic surveys were conducted to map the water body, ensuring the identification of optimal water depths necessary for a sustainable water tapping inlet. The geological survey focused on determining the ideal course for the pipe channel while integrating findings from an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, commissioned from a consulting firm based in Portugal. This comprehensive groundwork is essential for minimizing environmental disruptions and ensuring a sustainable water extraction process.
With 80 percent of the required equipment already deployed at the project site, stakeholders—including the Reserve Bank of Malawi, New Building Society Bank, Lilongwe Water Board, and Central Region Water Board—are closely monitoring progress. Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Elias Chimulambe, expressed his satisfaction with the advancements made so far. He urged funding partners to ensure that cash flow remains steady to keep the project on track for timely completion.
“We are pleased with the progress of the project thus far,” Chimulambe stated. “It is crucial for our funding stakeholders to sustain the project’s cash flow schedule to enable its completion as planned.”
However, concerns regarding the financial sustainability of the project have emerged. Pryde Phiri, Chief Finance Officer of Khato Civils, the contractor responsible for the project, highlighted the financial discrepancies that have arisen. Despite receiving approximately $50 million from the government, what has been spent on the project so far has surpassed $81 million.
“We are happy with the progress of the project thus far. We can only plead for sustainable funding so that we meet our cash flow scheme,” Phiri explained. “The Government has paid a total of $50 million so far but our expenditure now stands at over $81 million. We have spent this much to demonstrate our capacity as a contractor; otherwise, there is a pressing need for the government to catch up in terms of payments.”
Tino Mawanza, the Project Technical Lead Engineer, elaborated on the expenditures incurred during the engineering and procurement stages of the project. He noted that significant resources were allocated towards pre-investigative assessments, including geotechnical surveys, seismic (neotectonic) engineering evaluations, and Lidar surveys, among other pre-investigative aspects. Additionally, comprehensive engineering designs—spanning pre-feasibility, preliminary, and detailed designs—have been executed with significant costs.
The procurement phase has focused on acquiring essential construction equipment, plant and tool which include construction vehicles, machinery, such as concrete batch plants and various tools, which are crucial for executing the project. A substantial amount of construction materials has already been procured, including rebar for concrete structures, formwork, steel coils for piping, and concrete components.
According to the project timeline, the main construction phase is set to commence in May, following the rainy season. This timing is strategic, allowing affected communities to harvest crops before the onset of more extensive construction activities, such as installing reservoirs, pumping stations, and trenching for pipe laying. Notably, some construction efforts, particularly at reservoir installation sites, have already begun.
“After completing tasks related to other phases, we realized we had time remaining that we did not want to waste. We decided to advance the rain-friendly aspects of construction, which does not necessitate waiting for the off-season,” Mawanza explained.
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