Mzimba residents to benefit from water project
About 42 000 people in Mzimba are expected to benefit from the $23 million (about K16 billion) Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) project to start in April next year.
The board will carry out the project with funds from Opec Fund for International Development (Ofid), African Development Bank (AfDB) and Malawi Government.
NRWB chief executive officer (CEO) Titus Mtegha said this on Friday in Mzuzu during a meeting with Nyika Media Club. The meeting was aimed at briefing journalists on the new billing system the board has introduced.
He said the new project will upgrade the current pipe water system which he said does not meet the growing water demand.
“We have received funds from Opec Fund for International Development to the tune of $15 million [about K10.5 billion], African Development Bank [AfDB] have put in $5 million [about K3.5 billion] and Government of Malawi with $3 million [K2.I billion].
“We are expected to start construction by April 2017 and finish in December 2018. The project will benefit about 42 000 people in Mzimba,” he said.
Mzimba Market chairperson Emmanuel Ng’ambi commended NRWB for the initiative.
“I am very happy with the initiative by NRWB because currently, most areas which are on higher land are not able to get water due to low pressure and I feel the project will really help,” he said.
Meanwhile, NRWB says it will install 15 000 prepaid meters in Mzuzu and across the region, according to Mtegha. n
