Kalondolondo faults BWB on water supply

A Kalondolondo assessment in Blantyre peri-urban on water supply services has faulted Blantyre Water Board for failing its mandate ofproviding quality, affordable and reliable water.

Water woes in Blantyre  with BWM spokesperson  Priscilla Mateu
Water woes in Blantyre and  BWM spokesperson Priscilla Mateu (right)

The assessment report compiled by Girls Empowerment Network (GENET) with funding from Kalondolondo program captures opinions/perception and  feedback of water users in  20 sites around Blantyre peri-urban which include domestic, institutional, commercial and industrial users.

The assessment was done between March 13th , 2015 and May  15th  2015.

The report notes that consumers are not satisfied with the quality of water BWB as well as the reliability of the supply itself.

”The results of the assessment however showed  that service users are not  very satisfied with the quality of water that they  receive in the homes  despite it going through all these various processes  to purify it,” reads in part the report released on Thursday.

GENET indicated in the report that despite BWB treating the water, consumers complained it is of poor quality all the times.

”Service users get water of poor  quality especially in cases when there has been a dry out. The water that flows after a dry out contains mud, sometimes it has  a stench and it looks  whitish which is probably showing the presence of  chlorine. This however happens for half an hour or so then the water that  flows is normal”.

On reliability of water supply, the report notes that despite BWB mandated to provide reliable and affordable water supply services 24  through out the year,  the water flow and availability is not reliable which has been the case even prior to the water crisis that Blantyre city experienced between the months of December 2014 and February of this year.

Reads the report: ”Water in most areas like Chilobwe,Ndirande, Chilomoni, Chirimba, Mzedi, Nkolokoti, Bangwe, Michiru, Mbayani, Namiyango comes out only once or twice  a week and this is usually during the night. It flows for an hour or two the stops again.

”Dry outs in a period of 30 days range from 5 to 7 times. For some residents of some areas of Chilobwe  (Chatha), it has been close  to seven years ever since they had BWB supply water through their taps. They at present rely on water that is being channeled from Soche Mountain into the area and is accessed from about 3 taps within the community. For   individuals who have the financial capability to get the water right in their homes”.

On water billing and pricing, the report reveals that consumers are not satisfied  with the billing system, consistency in bill  calculation and pricing of  water in the homes and kiosks.

Users complained that bills are exorbitantly high as they don’t tally with most of their consumption in homes.

The water service provider has been blamed for solely being responsible for pricing and billing of water for its user’s weather domestic, industrial, commercial or institutional.

BWB who until recently uses hand held meter reading devices, assigns meter readers who collect meter  readeings on monthly  intervals.

And consumers assessed were  not satisfied with the billing and pricing of the  water service, arguing there is no transparency and  consistency in terms of bill calculations, and that meter readers don’t visit customers  consistently, raising questions as to how the service provider  calculate or come up with their  bills.

”Residents suspect that or hear rumours that, in an incident of a spillage, leakage or a bursting pipe, residents around are shared the bill so as to cater for the loss hence the high bills in their various households. Users also pointed out that the high bills go towards the maintenance and  fuel costs of the water bowsers and tanks that move around providing water  to people when there is a dry out” states the report.

GENET conducted the assessment with funding from Kalondolondo, which is a consortium and steering Committee comprising Plan Malawi, CONGOMA and Action aid.

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Stuward Mikwamba
8 years ago

Where is the government as the CEO is being paid while doing different business?

mulendo
mulendo
8 years ago

Ndizovuta a bwb ndiolephera,chabe safuna kuvomereza,ingokumbani zitsime khomo lililonse pamalawi pano,mwina mavutowa nkuchepako

Patrick Nkhoma
8 years ago

Kwathu kuno ku Chirimba mbali ya Mtoso ndiye kwaonjeza ndithu. Madzi anatuluka pamwezi kawiri utsi okha chamma 2 koloko ndiye nanga munthu uthunga bwanji utsiku umenewu. Pano timangozipukuta ndi thawelo basi. Tithandizeni mbali ino ya ku Chirimba Aroma, kapena mbali ya Hiwa tikuvutika

Thom Paul Duncan Nkalodzwa

Blantyre Water Board is an under-performer. It is very sad to hear that people have gone for a month in some places without water. Do the so called people in government aware of this shit. Please come to our rescue. This is one of the most poorly run parastatal. These bastards have taken us for granted indeed. Mateyu, you may be a good wife but not for a job like this.

nobel
nobel
8 years ago

Tiye nawoni anthu amenewa! Malawi at 51, what a joke!! If water is scarce in towns and cities how much do we expect in rural areas? No wonder laundry from Dedza DHO is washed at Ntcheu or Balaka DHO when water shortages hit Dedza hospital.

learnedmi
learnedmi
8 years ago

BWB IS IN PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE.ALL THE WELL QUALIFIED ENGINEERS LEFT BWB. REMEMBER DIKANI,AMBALI.HARAWA,MAKONYOLA ETC. THE GENERAL MANAGER OF NRWB IS THE PRODUCT OF BWB. HE IS THE ONLY MANAGER WHO KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE A WATER BOARD. SECOND HIM TO BWB THINGS WILL CHANGE.

Patriot
Patriot
8 years ago

Madzi ayamba kuvutanso kuno.
Kodi chitsiru cha independent mp china joina dpp chija chikutipo chani apa?
Stupid

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