The Malawi Water and Sanitation Project-1 (MWSP-1) is making significant strides in improving access to clean water and sanitation in Blantyre and surrounding areas.
Blantyre Water Board (BWB) projects implementation unit manager Stanley Bakolo said on Thursday the project is on track, having covered 85 percent of their projected areas.
He was speaking during a Sixth Implementation Support Mission from the World Bank.
Bakolo said the $145 million grant aims to increase water supply coverage to 95 percent, targeting Mpemba, Chileka, Chikuli and Njuli.
“The project aims to increase access to improved water supply and sanitation, while enhancing the operational and financial efficiency of BWB,” he said. “We are fully done with detailed designs and are awaiting submissions from contractors.”
Bakolo, who is also MWSP-1 coordinator, said tenders were advertised in local newspapers and contractors are expected to be hired by January 2026, with physical works scheduled to start in February.
He further said key interventions include constructing public sanitation facilities in markets and epicentres, with 60 percent completion and smart water kiosks, which are 92 percent complete.
“We hope to make a significant impact on the lives of people in Blantyre and surrounding areas. We are committed to delivering this project efficiently and effectively,” Bakolo said.
MWSP-1 communications specialist Horace Nyaka added that the project, launched in June 2023, will also construct a K7.5 million water reservoir in South Lunzu to address water shortages faced by residents in Machinjiri’s Area 12.
He said other tanks will be constructed in Nyambadwe, Chilomoni and Chichiri.
The project is being implemented by BWB, Blantyre City Council and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, with funding from the International Development Association of the World Bank.
