Maravi

(NYASATIMES) Water shortage hits Mzuzu city as residents protest

Water shortage hits Mzuzu city as residents protest
By Nyasa Times
Published: June 26, 2009
Water crisis hit hard in Blantyre City

Some residents of Zolozolo in Mzuzu City on Wednesday gathered in the area to protest and demand an explanation from Northern Region Water Board on the water shortage problem which has recently become persistent in the area.

The angry residents who grouped at Zolozolo clinic in the area threatened to smash any NRWB car found in the area and to deal with any NRWB official found disconnecting water or taking meter readings.

The residents complained that they are spending sleepless nights waiting for the water as the taps start running at dawn and the water supply is unpredictable. They also complained that most of the times the taps run just for thirty minutes, yet the water bills are rising.

“It’s surprising to hear them [NRWB] going around the area using their public address system and announcing they are going to disconnect water, what are they going to disconnect when there is no water?” wondered Preacher Mgabadere.
Responding to some of the queries the residents raised, NRWB public relations officer, Edward Nyirenda, attributed the irregular supply of water to the intermittent power supply and the fast growing population in the city for the past five years which he said has put pressure on the board’s infrastructure capacity.

“About 70 percent of our customers are connected to the main pipe from our treatment works, which means any pumping interruption due to loss of power supply has a direct effect on the consumer,” said Nyirenda.

While accepting the query that some houses in the same area do not experience frequent dry taps as others do, Nyirenda said this is because “such houses are connected to one of the four storage tanks in the city which sustain water supply during electricity black-outs when we are unable to pump water.”

Earlier, the discontented residents had chased away the Board’s meter reader who was taking the readings.

However, a few representatives of the disgruntled residents were chosen to discuss the matter with the NRWB Management at the institution’s premises. The discussion lasted about two hours.

After the meeting, the two parties agreed that the board should soon hold a meeting to explain to the residents why there is persistent water shortage, the billing process and what the board is going to with big volumes of dirty water that comes out just as soon as the water starts running which the residents say they do not use.

Meanwhile, NRWB is reported to have held talks with Escom management where it was agreed that the treatment plant should have power supply at all times, including times of load shedding to minimize water shortages.

Labels: MZUZU, WATER

posted by MrK @ 3:26 PM