BWB resumes pumping water
Blantyre Water Board (BWB) has resumed pumping water to the city of Blantyre and its surrounding areas after almost a week of dry taps.
The poor
water supply was caused by constant power failures at the board’s Chileka and Mudi pumping stations as well as debris and mud at BWB’s intake point at Walker’s Ferry on Shire River.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, BWB public affairs officer Priscilla Mateyu said the pumps at Walker’s Ferry started running on Saturday night and pumping of water at Mudi resumed after power restoration.
Said Mateyu: “We should expect most areas to start receiving water today afternoon and those at the furthest end by tomorrow. Customers should remember the supply will be gradual until the system stabilises.”
She said since Wednesday, the board has been removing mud and debris at its intake point using manual labour as efforts to use machinery failed because the excavator that was being used kept on sinking in the mud.
However, Mateyu said the process of removing the blockage has been sped up using another excavator.
She said the board is doing everything possible to stabilise the system quickly so that its customers can enjoy normal water supply.
The incessant rains which the country experienced last week did not only affect BWB operations as the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) was also forced to shut down its power machines last week Tuesday. This has resulted in massive nationwide blackouts and load shedding.
