The government of Malawi is set to receive US $15m grant from the African Development Fund (ADF) for its Nkhata Bay water supply and sanitation project.
According to the bank the water project is in line with Malawi’s development agenda contained in the Third Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS III) and Malawi’s Vision 2020.
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Nkhata Bay water supply and sanitation project
The Nkhata Bay water supply and sanitation project will involve; construction of new infrastructure water treatment plants, pipelines and water reservoirs. The water project will directly benefit 60,000 residents while it boosts livelihoods of 200,000 people who depend on services offered by the town.
More than 300 jobs will be created during construction and an additional 50 during its operation phase. The project will begin in the beginning of 2019 and it’s expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
Nkhata Bay residents will have a 90% access to portable water in comparison to its previous 37% access and they will have an 85% access to sanitation facilities to its previous 45%. The new development will come with new infrastructures such as water reservoirs, pipelines, and water treatment plants.
Project implementation
The ADF grant will finance half of the estimated project cost that is US $30.4m. OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) through a US $12m loan will contribute to the remaining cost and the Malawian government will foot the remaining US $3.4 m through contributions.
Malawi’s Northern Region Water Board (NRWB) will implement the project. Nkhata Bay Town residents and surrounding areas have been actively consulted in the project’s design by the government and in turn, it has enhanced social accountability. The project is expected to commence in 2019 and completed by 2022.
