House Approves US$ 23.5M Loan To Improve Water Supply For Blantyre City

No more dry taps

Problems of intermittent water supply facing Blantyre City will soon come to an end with the passing of US$ 23. 5 million loan for the purpose of putting water infrastructure at Mulanje Mountain to supply water to Blantyre city residents.

On Monday afternoon, the National Assembly approved Bill No. 15 of 2016: Export-Import Bank of India Loan Authorisation authorizing Government to get money for improving water provision in Blantyre city including some rural areas in Mulanje and Thyolo.

Through project which is expected to begin in months time, water will be pumped from Likhubula river on top of Mulanje Mountain and supplied down to Limbe town in Blantyre city.

According to Minister of Finance, Goodall Gondwe, the project will enable water reticulation to rural areas of Mulanje and Thyolo districts.

After passing the bill, Gondwe said "The next stage is that we will tender to find out the contractor who will construct the pipeline from Mulanje to Blantyre."

He said with this project Limbe residents not to rely on water from Shire river anymore and water from Shire river will only be for almost half of Blantyre city residents.

In future Gondwe said "We are also looking at the improvement of Walkers Ferry where Blantyre City get its water. It requires that we need to improve the electricity power station and when that happens we will be able to pump more water from Shire going to Blantyre."

Gondwe expressed hope that within three years the water situation in Blantyre will be fastly improved due to number of projects set to improve water supply in the city.