New project to boost access to potable water -Mwanamvekha
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Joseph Mwanamvekha said Karonga Water Supply Project to be implemented soon would assist many people in the district to have access to clean and potable water.
He was speaking Wednesday in Karonga after touring some of the sites where the project will be implemented.
The Minister observed that Karonga is one of the fastest growing districts in terms of population hence the need to expand and upgrade the water system that was done several years ago.
Mwanamvekha commended Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) for initiating the project before the problem of potable water supply in the district becomes out of hand.
He urged other water boards in the country to emulate the initiatives taken by NRWB saying it is not good to come up with projects at a time when the problems are no longer manageable.
Malawi Parliament recently approved US$15 million (about K10.8 billion) loan from OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and $10 million (about K7.3 billion) from Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) for the project.
“Water is life. So, we are very happy as government that the project will be starting very soon,” he said.
NRWB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Titus Mtegha said the main challenge as of now is insufficient land to accommodate the new water equipment.
He noted that a piece of land has been identified about five kilometres away to the South of Karonga Boma that was once used by Fisheries Department.
“So, we are currently busy engaging relevant stakeholders so that the government can allow us to use the land that we have already identified,” Mtegha added.
The Project, which includes replacement of the existing pipeline with bigger ones and upgrading of water treatment plants, is expected to start this month and end in 2021.
NRWB plans to expand access to potable water by extending the current system southwards to Mlare Trading Centre and Pusi in the north.
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