Chilima gives BWB October 2 deadline to improve water supply

Vice-President Saulos Chilima has given Blantyre Water Board (BWB) management 30 days to address the endemic problem of dry taps in Malawi’s commercial capital, Blantyre and its environs.

Chilima met with the BWB management as he continues with engaging parastals on Public Reforms

Chilima, who met with the BWB management as he continues with engaging parastals on Public Reforms, said it is unacceptable that people should stay for two days or a week without water.

In recent weeks, residents of some areas in Blantyre, including Ndirande, Namiyango, part of Kanjedza, Zingwangwa, Machinjiri, Chilobwe and Green Corner have been going days without water supply.

Chilima asked BWB to ensure that by October 2, 2020 erratic water problems in Blantyre should be a thing of the past

The Vice President,, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms,   engaged the BWB top management to get clarity on what has led to the Board to regress to the point of incurring K8.9 billion loss in the 2019/20 financial year as presented when he met the utility’s bosses on August 27, 2020.

“As for the water situation in Blantyre, it is completely unacceptable that people should stay two days or even one week without water.

“To this effect, we have resolved and greed that erratic water supply in Blantyre should be a thing of the past effective 2nd October, 2020.  This means that we have given management 30 days to fix the problem. The Board has committed to implement this. We have agreed that failure is not an option for this task.

At the previous meeting, the Vice President had requested for clarity on tangible gains on dropped/achieved reform areas; contradiction on non revenue water which

has gone up from 37 percent in 2018/19 to 54 percent in 2019/20; reasons for non revenue water, reasons for loss of MK8.9 billion for 2019/20; road map for the installation of pre-paid meters; and water situation in Blantyre.

Chilima said  during the follow-up meeting on Wednesday, they had a candid discussion and they have given each other assignments and tasks to correct the situation in the shortest period possible.

He said in between, every Tuesday before 2nd October when BWB will be required to have resolved the water malaise in the Commercial City, the Board will be sending an update to the Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo.

Apparently, Tembo was present at the meeting.

According to  to the vice presindet, Minister Tembo will have to be receiving updates on the strides being taken to ensure that water supply stabilizes before or by 2nd October.

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Boy
Boy
3 years ago

Bwana VP in Mwanza it’s now 3 days without a drop of water from the taps n there is no word from SRWB. Can’t even have a bath n can’t go to work osasamba. Bwana munakayenderanso SRWB n all they know is to bill us koma madzi akati atuluka ndiye ndi usiku masana no water

Madzi achita Katondo ku DPP!!
Madzi achita Katondo ku DPP!!
3 years ago

Im soooooo in love with this government, its a New Day, a New Dawn indeed, we need productivity and results, osmangokwera ma 4×4 with nothing to show for

Yeshua msikuwa
Yeshua msikuwa
3 years ago

Water problems cannot be fixed in 30 days because we do not have aquifers where bwb can just sink their pipes in. Bwb has to bring water from mulanje or some dilapidated dams which isn’t enough because of the city population growth. Any new strategy to improve water supply will require finding new sources of water as well as additional capital all of which cannot happen in 30 days. Mr chilima stop making unrealistic demands of someone.

akweni
akweni
3 years ago
Reply to  Yeshua msikuwa

Backward pessimistic thinking. if you had water yesterday,why should you not have it today.? I think what SKC is talking about is water which is already available but not reaching people because of BWB’s inefficiency. In the first place, BWB cannot fix a tap at your house if they don’t have water to supply. Don’t glorify failure!

Madzi achita Katondo ku DPP!!
Madzi achita Katondo ku DPP!!
3 years ago
Reply to  Yeshua msikuwa

Negativity will take you no where, what The Tonse Government is advocating is innovation, think outside the box, we have so many resources, Nzotheka, it is possible

Fine
Fine
3 years ago

Good job.

Chi
Chi
3 years ago

Blackout and dry pipe are signs of failing to do our work …..,,the only thing some bosses know is buying expensive vehicles……just like Lilongwe City discussed to borrow money to buy a car when manholes have no covers…,,,I know someone will it’s because people are stealing them!!!! Good engineers can devise “a system” of covers

Mazembe
Mazembe
3 years ago

Actually blantyre water board is the worst. The only thing I have seen at this institution is competition of hiring 4×4 s by those bwanas, ndikumangozulira mu town showing off.
Please we need water everyday

Mwini muzi
3 years ago

Spot on. We need the prepaid meters because we are billed on a product we never consumed. The Southern Water Board in Mulanje is another culprit that leaves customers for months without water yet they bill customers for water they never used.

Last edited 3 years ago by Mwini muzi
ERUTU
ERUTU
3 years ago

BOMA siili mwaliwona BOMA 🇲🇼

Nyongothowa
Nyongothowa
3 years ago
Reply to  ERUTU

Koma bwana SKC chonde tithandizeni. Ife ku Chigumula we hardly get water and we go by a month of no supply and yet at the end of the month we are presented with high Bill’s when we did not get the supply. BWB please that is stealing from poor people. Ifenso ku Chigumula mutiganizire tikuvutika kwambiri nkhani ya Madzi. Chigumula around Chiwale parish wina aliyense kudandaula za madzi.

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