Water woes resurface in Blantyre

There is no end in sight to water woes in Malawi’s commercial capital Blantyre as the problem has resurfaced barely two days after the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) restored water supply in the city.

Last week the city had no running water for four days and this forced Queens Elizabeth Central Hospital to suspend surgical operations due to dry taps.

The problem was attributed to bursting of main supply pipe that distributes water to various parts of the city form Walker’s Ferry near Makata Industrial Site.

After it was fixed last Thursday, BWB through their spokesperson Priscilla Mateyu assured water users that all areas that were affected will start receiving water, but things are different on the ground.

Most parts only had running water on Friday and Saturday before the taps drying again.

Meanwhile, there are fears that if the critical water shortage is not addressed on time might
result into outbreak of water-related diseases.

Writing in her column ‘Social Musings’ in The Daily Times, Lorraine Lusinje said authorities have been aware of the problem and “we patiently awaited improvements”, but now things have gone from “worse to horrible”.

“What is interesting is the bills always pile up still and get higher every other month, the less water coming out, the higher the bills get,” she says.

Lusinje further said this is abuse of human freedoms and well being.

“Imagine a company with about 300 people confined to single a compound with no running water in sight,” she queries!

She said in most residential areas people are forced to look for water in unhealthy places.

She said the situation is worrisome considering that some families with little babies and toddlers are being forced to use unclean water for such “fragile” and “vulnerable” little humans.

“I think is this really worrisome and a disgrace to development. No mother wants to bath their little baby in stagnant, filthy water.

“It is simply insane for the nation to have continuous water problems that keep getting worse. When people have no access to water, its as good as having no access to life; it is a grave violation of people’s well being,” she adds.

Executive Director of Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) John Kapito also said BWB lack common sense and does not consider effects of such water scarcity.

Kapito expressed shock with the continued scarcity of water that has also affected operations of most critical sectors such as Hospitals, Schools, the hospitality industry and domestic consumers.

For the past two years, water only comes out for few hours and then it is gone until the following day.

BWB has not explained why the problem has resurfaced after assuring their customers of water supply.