Minister challenges Lilongwe Water Board to satisfy customers

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Allan Chiyembekeza, has challenged the Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) to strive to implement the board’s laid out plans for the next five years to ensure maximum clientele satisfaction.

Chiyembekeza made the call  on Friday when he launched the LWB’s 5-year Strategic Plan and an upgraded website at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.

The strategic plan themed ‘From Working Hard to Working Smart’ will cost the board US$120m (MK90.6bn at current rate) to implement and it covers the period 2015-2020.

It is aimed at ensuring delivery of reliable services that satisfy customers; strengthening financial capacity for development of infrastructure, and development of institutional capacity.

In his keynote address earlier, LWB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alfonso Chikuni, said among other things, LWB intended to achieve provision of adequate water supply for 24 hours at acceptable pressure and quality; increase supply coverage from 70 percent to 80 percent and to reduce non-revenue water from 36 percent to 28 percent.

Alfonso also said over the five years LWB intended to convert the sold in cash through improved collection efficiency from 85 percent to 95 percent of water sales.

But speaking at the launch, Chiyembekeza said laying out plans was one thing and implementing them another hence, he urged the board to walk the talk.

Said Chiyembekeza: “I commend you for a well articulated 5-year strategic plan. But this document should not be left to gather dust but it should rather be implemented to the letter.

“It is time to change our attitude and work efficiently and this should be time for Lilongwe Water Board to move from making losses to making profits.”

Presenting the upgraded website, LWB Public Relations Officer, Bright Sonani, described it as a one-stop page designed to take visitors through the board’s operations without hustles.

Using the website, LWB customers can check current water bills, calculate water bills and report faults, among other things.

According to the board’s 2015 survey, Lilongwe Water Board, a state-owned parastatal organization was established in 1947 and produces more than 100 million litres of drinking water every day.

The water board serves over 750,000 residents within the City of Lilongwe and other designated supply areas.

The board operates and maintains 3 water treatment plants and delivers water through an estimated 2,800km of pipelines.

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