Restrictions On Maputo Water Supply to Continue

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Early this week Mozambique’s Minister of Public Works, Carlos Bonete said restrictions on Maputo water supply must continue. This, he said, is until water production at the treatment and pumping station is back to normal.

He spoke during a session of the Coordinating Council of his Ministry at Mulotana in Maputo province. Bonete stated that the situation at the Pequenos Libombos dam, is still a matter for serious concern.

Low water levels

The Maputo Regional Water Company (AdeM) put in place a system of rationing. This was after the level of the reservoir fell to less than 13% in early January. This left water pumping for each neighborhood in Maputo and Matola cities and Boane district every other day.

In a bid to diversify water sources 46 new boreholes opened. On the other hand, 22 small scale water systems are being repaired and rehabilitated. According to Bonete, work has began on a pipeline that will carry water from the Corumana dam to the Machava distribution centre in Matola.

However, he was quick to add that this is not the only solution. He said more work is needed on the treatment station and on pumping stations. This, according to him, must begin as from next year.

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Rehabilitation of approximately 1,200 water sources equipped with hand pumps throughout the country took place as at January this year. This means that the supply of clean drinking water stands at 45% of the population in the rural areas and 75% in the urban areas.

He also pointed out that the projected Moamba Major Dam, on the Incomati river, in Maputo province will be built. This is despite the withdrawal of promised funding from Brazil.

When complete the dam will control the flow of the Incomati river. it will also guarantee the irrigation of 19,000 ha of agricultural land. The cost of building the new dam was $466m. However,due to  ceased funding the project that begun in October 2014 stalled.