SRWB is not supplying water through bowsers as relief to the crisis
* Normally, when construction works are taking place, the contractor has to relocate service lines—SRWB
* As customers bitterly complain on social media for not being provided with a solution of water bowsers
By Duncan Mlanjira
Zomba residents, especially those in Naisi, have complained that they have experiencing no water supply for most of this year, which has been acute for the past one month.
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When contacted, Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) public relations office (PRO) indicated that there are some road construction works in Naisi, which has affected main water supply lines.
SRWB, while expressing its apologies for the inconvenience caused, indicates that its hands are tied to carry out maintenance and repair works until the road construction contractor should completes its obligations.
“Normally, when construction works are taking place, the contractor has to relocate service lines i.e. water or electricity. So that’s their responsibility of relocating before they start the actual works,” is the response from the PRO.
However, concerned customer Mary Deborah Phiri posted on her Facebook page describing as “poor” SRWB’s customer care for never giving any feedback to its customers.
The last post on SRWB’s official PR Facebook account, as of today, November 10, was on October 15 celebrating Mother’s Day.
Before that, it was on October 8 announcing a fault on its prepaid digital platform and on July 6 celebrating Independence Day.
The resident, Mary Phiri, indicated that she and fellow residents have filed many reports to SRWB but the response was that there was a challenge at a reservoir tank at Luanga.
She wondered how a whole team of SRWB could fail to carry out maintenance works and failing to update customers despite constant further reports of dry taps.
The situation has been made dire, indicating that SRWB has not being supplying the customers with a solution of water bowsers.
This is normal solution to dry taps in urban areas
She bitterly complained that the customers meet their obligations of paying for water bills but SRWB is failing to provide them with the services.
Her post received a lot of attention, with several suggesting of marching to SRWB offices to hold a vigil.
The PR office did not respond to our question on why SRWB failed to offer water bowsers as a solution to alleviate customers’ challenges.
It seems SRWB is being greatly challenged as last month, Blantyre Water Board (BWB) disclosed that as part of its corporate social responsibility, it installed water supply pipes that draw water from the Likhubula River to supply communities in the surrounding areas, which are supposed to be serviced by SRWB.
Minister Mbilizi on tour of BWB main water supply line from Likhubula River
This was disclosed by BWB Chief Executive Officer, Eng. Henri M Bakuwa when Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation & Water Development, Roza Fatch Mbilizi toured Likhubula intake following numerous complaints about water shortages in the district.
BWB sources its water from Mulanje’s Likhubula River through gravity to convey it to Nguludi Pumping Station for treatment before distributing it to customers in Blantyre City.
Following the complaints of the water shortages, the Minister thus visited the district to engage key stakeholders — that included Mulanje Water Users Association — to find lasting solutions to the problem.
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