Connection delays irk BWB chair

Blantyre Water Board (BWB) chairperson Wellington Mandowa on Friday expressed disappointment over the board’s continued delays to connect new customers.

Mandowa was speaking in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre, when he opened the new BWB Customer Service Centre at the Chichiri Shopping Centre.

Mandowa’s remarks come barely less than a month after President Bingu wa Mutharika also complained that bureaucracy is stifling development during a graduation ceremony at the Domasi College of Education in Zomba.

Mutharika blamed the country’s water authorities of frustrating his efforts in uplifting Malawi’s education by delaying connecting water to the Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) in his home district, Thyolo.

Mandowa said there is a need for BWB to connect as many customers as possible to collect more revenue.

‘Shortage of meters is a problem’

BWB chief executive officer Andrew Thawe attributed the delays in connection to shortage of meters at the utility company.

He, however, said BWB has received 7 500 meters and expects another 7 500 lot in due course.

“We are optimistic that this problem of delayed connections will soon be a thing of the past. Currently, we have about 1 000 customers on the waiting list and we should be able to clear that backlog in a month,” said Thawe.