Blantyre Water Board is undertaking projects with the aim of increasing water production from the current 78 million litres to 96 million litres per day. According to a press release made available to the Maravi Post, the board plans to achieve this by execution of two projects at Walkers Ferry.
According to the press release, one of the projects executed at Walkers Ferry is the upgrading and complete renewal of the Walkers Ferry water intake and highlift pumping stations.
The project is being implemented with funding from the European Union and the European Investment Bank. The scope of the works includes replacement of all the old pumping equipment including pump sets, transformers, electrical panels, valves, pipe works among others. Nevertheless, the works are currently in progress and are expected to gradually yield fruits from April 2015 with at least 80 percent of the works completed.
The work was delayed due to the flooding events that occurred in the month of January 2015 that resulted in some of the equipment that was already installed to be removed to be re-examined and also to scoop the silt in the chambers. Thus, this challenge led to the fact that the expected completion date of March 2015 to be missed.
The other challenge on this project is adequacy of power to the station to run the large pumps being installed to completely reach the maximum production. To this end, the Malawi Water Board with its own funding is working with ESCOM to upgrade the overhead power supply lines which is expected to be completed within a month in order to suffice the power demand for the new equipment.
Additionally, the World Bank through its International Development Association had provided funding for capacity increase of the water treatment plant at Walkers Ferry which originally was treating 78 million litres per day to 96 million litres per day. This project was finished and commissioned already. The contractor is currently working on defects but the system is operational now with an enhanced production capacity.
It should be mentioned that the final completion of these two projects will together assist the Board to produce adequate water that will be able to meet demand. This will result in improved service delivery which includes increased hours of supply and availability of water to areas that are currently facing erratic water supply situation.
To complement the efforts that are being done at Walkers Ferry, the Board is also carrying out other projects within the City so that the water produced should be able to reach its customers in an efficient and effective manner.
Some of those projects are rehabilitation and Renewal of Chileka pumping station, The status of the project is at about 85% complete and is expected to be completed and commissioned in May 2015.
Installations of new pumping equipment at Mudi and Chichiri pumping stations, the Board with funding from the World Bank has replaced all the pumps and electrical panels at Mudi and Chichiri pumping stations in an effort to improve water conveyance to areas such as Bangwe, Mpingwe, Kanjedza, Chinyonga, Misesa/Soche, Chiwembe, BCA, Mapanga, Chigumula, Chiradzulu and all other areas on the Limbe side. The new installations for these two stations were completed in October 2014.
Construction of new tanks at Kameza, Chimwankhunda and Chigumula, To improve supply in hard-hit areas including Chilobwe, Naotcha, Chimwankhunda Chigumula, and Bvumbwe, the Board has constructed three water tanks each holding 5 million litres with funding from the World Bank. The tanks have been constructed at Kameza, Chimwankhunda and Chigumula and are strategically located to ease water problems in the targeted areas. The tanks are aimed at reaching areas which have had water supply problems for the past years because of being located very far from the existing distribution tanks as well those areas that were previously not supplied. For example, Chilobwe and Naotcha, which were getting water from Nyambadwe will be able to get its water directly from Chimwankhunda tank which has been constructed near Blantyre Teachers’ College. The capacity of the tank will be able to serve these areas without interruptions as was the case in the past for the next 20 years as per design.
The construction of the tanks was completed in November 2014. The commissioning of the tanks was however delayed as the Board was not able in the past four months, to get enough water to fill the tanks for testing which was to be thrown away to waste. So far the tanks at Kameza and Chimwankhunda have been fully completed and commissioned. The Board expects a trememdous improvement of water supply to Chilobwe, Naotcha and Chimwankhunda after the commissioning of Chimwankhunda tank. The Chigumula tank is however expected to be commissioned in early May 2015 after completion of all the tests and correction of defects that will be noted.
In Blantyre, areas that are hardest hit when water shortages occur include Bangwe and surrounding areas, Bvumbwe, Lunzu and Limbe area. In order to improve water supply immediately to these areas, the Board will undertake the following projects:
Improved Water Supply in Bangwe Area, Water supply to Bangwe areas such as the Clinic, Namatapa, Mbayani and Mthandizi has been erratic due to elevation and also the area is on the farthest part of the network.
In this regard, new system comprising pumping equipment, dedicated pipeline to Bangwe and a storage tank have been designed to be implemented within the next four months.
The designs have been completed and works will commence in May 2015. The resultant effects is that the demand for water in Bangwe area will be satisfied; thereby releasing some water to meet the demand in Nguludi and the Catholic University.
Additional Boreholes to Lunzu Area, The project is designed to provide additional water in the system towards Lunzu area. Additional three boreholes will be sunk to increase water availability to 800 cubic meters per day to meet the demand for the area. The project will start in May.
Additional Boreholes to Bvumbwe Area, There will be an additional of three boreholes to be sunk in Bvumbwe to increase water availability to 520 cubic meters per day to meet the current demand for the area.
The project will commence in May and designs for the same have been completed.
Mulanje and New Water Source along the Shire River, These are new projects to meet water demand to the year 2040. For Mulanje, the designs have already been completed and the board is just waiting for confirmation on financing from the Indian Line of Credit.
For the new water source on the Shire River, detailed designs are in progress and expected to be completed by end of August 2015.
Blantyre Water Board would like to appreciate the support it is getting from its customers during the whole period of implementing the projects. The Board further understands that customers have been experiencing water supply shortages before and during the implementation of the projects. The Board would however further assure its existing and potential customers that the Board is currently working around the clock to make sure that all the projects are successfully completed and commissioned in order to ensure that the water supply situation improves to the satisfaction of its customers.
Customers are also encouraged to understand that water supply during and after the project’s completion will be gradual. This means that water supply in some areas will be improving as the projects near the completion date. The Board expects all works on projects to be finished by 31st August 2015 and normal water supply to resume thereafter.
