LWB invests K4bn in new reservoirs

Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) has embarked on a project to construct two reservoir tanks worth US$9 million (K4 billion) to improve access to potable water and sanitation services to residents of the city.

LWB general manager Gabriel Gonani, in an interview, said the parastatal has accessed aloan from the World Bank for the project.

The areas that will benefit from the new tanks to be constructed at the Army Airwing base include Njewa, Chitedze, Natural Resources College, Area 49, Mtsiliza, Mtandile, Area 47 and some parts of Likuni and Chinsapo.

“This project will make a huge difference in our quest to provide quality potable water to our customers. It includes one ground reservoir one elevated reservoir, two pump houses at Mtunthama and airwing and a 60-kilometre network,” he said.

Gonani said LWB has taken over customers that were being serviced by the Central Region Water Board in areas surrounding Lilongwe city; hence, the need to construct the new reservoir tanks.

“Our mandate is to supply water in the city while the Central Region Water Board is mandated to supply towns and markets in the Central Region except Lilongwe.

“Since the city boundaries were extended in 2008, it became imperative that the supply area for Lilongwe Water Board be extended as well,” he said.

Deputy general manager for LWB, Samson Mwandira, disclosed that they have spent K60 million to purchase new   equipment to check quality of water  and plans are at an advanced stage to increase the height of Kamuzu Dam 1 at Malingunde.

He said since the city is growing there is need for more interventions to make water available to residents even during peak periods.

Mwandira also said Diamphwe Dam, which is about 60 km from Lilongwe, will need about K80 billion to be completed but everything is going according to plan.

At Diamphwe, LWB will be trapping the water at source and through gravity, they will be able to supply the whole city with ease.