Maravi

Siavonga residents appeal to SWSC to rectify water shortage

Siavonga residents appeal to SWSC to rectify water shortage
By Chibaula Silwamba in Siavonga
Sunday September 16, 2007 [04:00]

SIAVONGA residents have appealed to the Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWSC) to quickly rectify the erratic water supply to the area. But SWSC technical services senior manager Ndilakulampa Hamalambo attributed the rationing of water supply to the ongoing renovation works on the purification system.

One of the residents, Christine Banda said water supply had become a big problem in Siavonga.

“We only receive water between 05:30 hours and 07:00 hours in the morning then 17:30 to 19:30 hours. So those of us who use toilets that are inside the house we have a big problem,” Banda said.

“As you know Siavonga this time is very hot but since there is no proper water supply, people are forced to go to the lake to draw water for domestic use and others go there to swim. The problem of water supply should be resolved soon.”

She said it was surprising that Siavonga had water problems despite having large water reservoirs.

“In the past we never used to have this problem but these years we are surprised at the erratic flow of water. The strange thing is that we have a lot of water around us but that water cannot be pumped and supplied to the people,” said Banda.

Another resident, who only identified herself as Deborah said the bakery where she works receives water once a day.
“The problem of water is really serious,” Deborah said. “We bake bread here but we don’t have water so we are forced to hire small trucks to go and carry water from another area.”

But Hamalambo said the renovation project would be completed in the next two months.

He urged residents to be patient because the renovations were aimed at improving service delivery to Siavonga.
“It’s not an operational problem but we are renovating the purification system,” Hamalambo said. “After the renovation they will receive good service.”

Hamalambo said the water utility company was also putting up kiosks in residential compounds.

Another official at SWSC who declined to be named, identified Siavonga central and east as the most affected areas.

“We are running two purification systems and we are drying one after the other. We are drying them in order to rehabilitate them,” said the source.

“By working with one system while the other is being repaired, it is like we have cut the capacity by half hence this complaint about water rationing.”

Labels: SWSC, WATER

posted by MrK @ 5:34 AM