The models for the operation, organization and management of water supply systems, implemented by FIPAG - Fundo de Investimento e Património do Abastecimento de Água (Water Supply Investment and Assets Fund), were examined last Tuesday in Maputo by the Malawian delegation, made up of water and sanitation sector managers from the city of Lilongué in Malawi.

The delegation, led by the mayor of the respective municipality, Richard Banda, held a meeting with the National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation and, last Tuesday, toured the facilities of the Sábie Water Treatment Plant (ETA), in Corumana, Maputo Province, where they learned about the functioning of the infrastructure, including the operation, organization and management of the country's water supply system.

On that occasion, the visitors were impressed by the way FIPAG is prepared to achieve the goal set by Universal Coverage 2030.

Moments after the visit to the ETA, the Director of Central Operations Services at FIPAG, Abílio Murima, said that the visitors had also been interested in the Subsidized Connections Program for the Low-Income Population (OBA).

As part of the WASIS II project, OBA aims to subsidize water connection fees for the low-income population in four provinces in the central and northern regions of the country, namely the cities of Beira and Dondo in Sofala, Pemba in Cabo Delgado, Nacala in Nampula and Tete and Moatize in Tete.

The project involves 20,000 low-income households, corresponding to around 106,000 people. The total investment will be two million US dollars, with the government subsidizing 97.5% of the costs of each water connection contract.

"We gave an institutional presentation on how FIPAG works. We presented the infrastructures we have built, others in progress, including the plans for the future, with a view to guaranteeing the supply of water to the population with the necessary quality and quantity," said Abílio Murima.

For his part, Richard Banda expressed his satisfaction with what he had seen and heard: "We had very important meetings and also the opportunity to learn a lot. When we go back to Malawi, we're going to implement some of the things we learned from this visit to Maputo so that we can make improvements," he said, highlighting the fact that he also had a meeting with the Mayor of Maputo, Eneas Comiche.