About 350 million meticais will be invested this year by the provincial government of Inhambane in the rehabilitation and construction of new water supply sources, in order to expand the network and, consequently, increase the coverage rate of the water supply.

According to the provincial director of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Daniel Massingue, quoted by Notícias, the amount will be applied in the construction of 100 water supply infrastructures, being 30 small systems powered by solar panels and 70 boreholes equipped with hand pumps, in addition to the rehabilitation of 50 other inoperable ones.

The source said that more than 63 million meticais will also be invested in the construction of four water desalination systems in the districts of Funhalouro, Govuro and Massinga.

He explained that the referred systems will be implemented in the localities of Machacame, in Govuro, Tsenane and Tome, in Funhalouro, and Balate, in Massinga, where the communities face health problems due to the consumption of water with high salt content.

Daniel Massingue also explained that, besides the three locations, the amount will include the rehabilitation of the Chicomo desalination system, still in Massinga district, which is currently inoperative.

He said that the sector's priority is to do the replacement and maintenance, as well as the operationalization of the systems to be installed to allow the population to start consuming water with the recommended standards.

For Massingue, desalination is a new and expensive technology that is not yet in the domain of the communities. Therefore, the Chicomo system was paralyzed in a short time due to the lack of experience in its maintenance and repair.

Desalination consists of removing excess salt and other minerals from water. This process is widely used in regions where fresh water is scarce or difficult to access, and the water table has a high level of salinity.

The provincial director of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources expressed concern about the vandalization of sources of supply of precious liquid, and that in the last three years, 15 multifunctional systems were vandalized by evildoers to remove solar panels and batteries.

To reverse the situation, Massingue said that it takes mobilization of the communities, as well as local leaders, to reinforce vigilance against people who, with their attacks, reduce the efforts of the Government in the provision of drinking water.

It should be noted that the province of Inhambane currently has more than two thousand dispersed fountains, of which 200 are out of order.