Water authorities upbeat about beating cholera in Blantyre

Water authorities are hopeful that cases of waterborne diseases, including cholera, will be curbed following the construction of improved sanitation facilities funded by the World Bank.

The initiative falls under the Malawi Water and Sanitation Project Phase 1 (MWSP-1), which is being implemented with a budget of 148 million US dollars.

The project includes the construction of 15 new smart water kiosks, the upgrade of 15 existing community water points into smart kiosks, the building of sanitation facilities in markets and health centers, and the rehabilitation of the Mzedi dumpsite access road, among other activities.

The projects are being jointly executed by the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) and the Blantyre City Council (BCC).

Speaking after inspecting some of the project sites in Blantyre, Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia expressed optimism that such initiatives will help the country meet its 2030 target of universal access to potable water.

“Five thousand people are expected to benefit from this project, hence reducing cholera cases,” said Mia.

She further noted that in many targeted areas, there was previously only one toilet for males and one for females.

With the new facilities, she believes the spread of diseases will be significantly contained.

BWB Board Chairperson Joe Ching’ani also expressed satisfaction with the progress.

“This is a five-year project conceptualized under MWSP-1, which was introduced in 2023 to address cholera outbreaks in high-risk areas,” he said.

Blantyre City Mayor, Councillor Joseph Makwinja, highlighted that some residents have suffered from cholera due to poor sanitation infrastructure. He said the World Bank project will help communities gain access to safe and potable water.

The project also aims to construct an engineered landfill in Chigumula to replace the current Mzedi Dumpsite, improve the city’s water distribution network to reduce non-revenue water, and rehabilitate the Soche Wastewater Treatment Plant in Zingwangwa.