SRWB solves ctitical water challenges for MUST through high yielding borehole pumping

Deputy Minister Liana Kakhobwe Chapota being briefed of the project

* A dam that was supplying a pumping and purification station was damaged due to the two tropical cyclones of Ana and Freddy

* Its successfully supplying water to the 4,000-plus university campus as well as its sorrounding community of Goliati

By Duncan Mlanjira

Malawi University of Science & Technology (MUST) and its sorrounding community of Goliati in Thyolo had been facing critical water supply and sanitation challenges after a dam that was supplying a pumping and purification station was damaged due to the two tropical cyclones of Ana and Freddy.

Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) has now solved the situation by drilling two 150-metre deep boreholes, from which they are pumping water to the purification station — thus successfully supplying water to the 4,000-plus university campus as well as its sorrounding community.

Deputy Minister of Water & Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota visited the pumping to appreciate the solution that SRWB carried out and representing MUST’s Vice-Chancellor who had travelled outside the country, Dr. Wilfred Kadewa said they were very appreciative that water supply is now normal.

He said MUST’s population is expanding, saying they need about 700 cubic metres of water a day and will be needing more as they are constructing two major projects of an industrial park as well as an elaborate laboratory complex — both to need a lot of water.

“I must say we had a very cordial working partnership with Southern Region Water Board throughout the process,” he said. “We appreciated the challenges they faced through the natural disasters and we kept pushing for a speedy solution.

“We are extremely relieved since the situation was not conducive for a campus of over 4,000 people [of students, academic and support staff]. We don’t take this for granted and going forward, we really shall need more water supply as MUST is greatly expanding.”

According to SRWB, the deep boreholes are supply the Goliati community with 2,500 cubic meters of water, also a major shift of pumping from the Lichenza River, whose banks for dam — that was constructed by Mota Engil for supply to MUST — were washed away by the two cyclones.

Deputy Minister Kakhobwe Chapota said she was very satisfied that SRWB has solved the critical water challenges both for MUST and the area of Goliati, while also asking for the high yielding solution be replicated to other areas.

“This is part of the sustainable development goals number 6 that globally people should have access to clean and safe water by the year 2030 and the Malawi government is working towards it,” she said.

“We were very concerned when the cyclones destroyed the dam and affected MUST and its community but we are now glad that Southern Region Water Board moved in the right direction through construction of these high yielding boreholes.”

The water and purification station’s pumping infrastructure is intact and the deputy Minister asked if something could be done to preserve the expensive investment.

In his remarks, SRWB chairperson, Brown Mpinganjira said the pumping infrastructure shall be moved elsewhere leaving behind just the purification system as they work out on how the dam can be resuscitated.

He also announced that they have plans to pump water from Thuchila River to supply parts of Thyolo and Chiradzulu, saying the challenges faced due to the two cyclones has made them think outside the box.

He pledged that SRWB is set to grow together with MUST to meet the demands of the expansion of the University, which has made many strides since its inception just a decade ago under the vision of former President, late Bingu wa Mutharika.

SRWB also has a high yielding borehole pumping system in Liwonde whose residents had experiencing dry taps for a long time due to challenges that SRWB was facing to pump water from the Shire River, which is heavily polluted with water lilies that have been chocking submersible water pumps.

SRWB came up with the innovation by constructing a solar-powered borehole drilling system to address the situation and it has worked wonders — as attested to by representative of the community, Ken Ndanga during a site visit by Kakhobwe Chapota earlier this month.

Ndanga, a well known journalist cum-politician and social issues activist, said they now have the luxury of running taps and took delight that they can afford having some cold showers since this is a very hot weather area.

However, Brown Mpinganjira said the solar-pumped borehole system was a short term measure as they had secured a loan with the European Investment Bank and Exim Bank of India for a massive water pumping system which will cater for Liwonde, Balaka and neighbouring parts of Mangochi District.