Drink from protected water sources—Bande

Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation John Bande has urged people in Mangochi District to drink water from protected sources to avoid cholera.

He said this on Saturday when he toured Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) treatment plant and water kiosks at M’baluku in the district.

After the tour, Bande expressed satisfaction with the board’s efforts to provide potable water in Mangochi Town and surrounding areas, especially in the wake of the cholera outbreak in the district.

“We know that government cannot connect free water to everyone and what water boards are doing is to bring water closer to people,” he said.

Bande expressed concern with communities that fetch water from shallow wells, lakes, rivers and other unprotected sources.

“I ask people in Mangochi and other areas to drink water from protected sources to avoid cholera,” he said.

Hajj Sadik, a resident of Mangochi Town, agreed with Bande, saying people should avoid drinking water from the lake and rivers.

“People do not treat water from rivers and lakes with chlorine, which is one of the factors contributing to the spread of cholera,” he said.

On his part, SRWB chief executive officer Duncan Chambamba hailed Bande for touring Mangochi to appreciate what the board is doing to provide safe water to people in Mangochi and surrounding areas.

“Our mandate is to provide water to our customers in the Southern Region and the board will continue to do so,” he said.

Meanwhile, SRWB is constructing an intake and water treatment plant at Nkhudzi Bay in the district.

The board is laying pipes for supply of water under Nkhudzi Bay Potable Water Project to improve safe water supply in the district.