BCC intensifies borehole water chlorination drive

The Blantyre City Council (BCC) has intensified chlorination of boreholes that were drilled in some primary schools under the Hannover Project in the city.

In an interview on the sidelines of physical borehole monitoring and chlorination in 12 schools, BCC spokesperson Deborah Luka said the exercise follows the Tropical Cyclone Freddy that affected various sectors including water and sanitation particularly in the Southern Region.

She said: “The exercise is one way of measuring water quality in the boreholes so that we are sure that learners and teachers have access to potable and clean water in their respective schools.

“So the project team conducted physical monitoring exercise to appreciate the condition of water as well as boreholes.”

Some of the primary schools that were inspected include Manja, Chimwankhunda, Zingwangwa and Blantyre Girls.

In a separate interview, Manja Primary School Headteacher Alfred Kazembe whose school accommodated about 4 000 Cyclone Freddy survivors between March and May this year, said the school’s borehole was damaged following the impact of the disaster.

“This exercise is important because we are now drinking safe and potable water,” said Kazembe.

The £180 000 (about K234.4 million) project is being implemented by BCC in collaboration with Blantyre District Education office with a focus on sanitation and hygiene and fruit trees planting.

The Hannover Project comes from a partnership that BCC has with the Hannover City of Germany which was renewed at the occasion of their 50th Anniversary in 2018.

Among others, the twin relationship has seen the implementation of various projects in water and sanitation such as the drilling of boreholes in about 14 primary schools, exchange programmes and trainings, apart from the tree planting initiative