Six water supply systems went into operation on Monday (27) in Maputo province, specifically in the districts of Matutuine (Nsime and Bedjile), Moamba (Bandoia and Muzele) and Magude (Massango and Pontia).
The infrastructures, built from scratch, cost around 125 million meticais and are expected to benefit around 12,000 people in the first phase, with the forecast of an increase to 36,000 in the long term.
The Nsime, Massango, Pontia and Bandoia systems have desalination systems, since the water is salubrious and is collected underground using submersible pumps powered by photovoltaic energy (solar panels), which include lithium batteries.
Pipes ranging in length from 70 meters to 1.7 km were installed in all the systems. Four standpipes were also built, 50 household connections were made and 300 kits for new connections were supplied.
The ceremony to inaugurate the systems took place in the town of Pontia, Motaze Administrative Post, Magude district, and was led by the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, who stressed the importance of the act in achieving the objectives of the government's Five-Year Program 2020-2024, which calls for an increase in the coverage rate of water supply services in rural and urban areas, from 62% in 2020 to 65% by the end of 2023.
"The systems we have inaugurated today will have a direct impact on improving the quality of life of the population in the districts covered. With the six systems, Maputo province has progressed in terms of population with access to drinking water from 74% to 76% of coverage. That's why the government continues to plan and invest in infrastructures aimed at improving and expanding the supply of safe water and sanitation to places where the population still doesn't benefit," said Filipe Nyusi.
On the occasion, the statesman stressed that the entry into operation of these systems will help to reduce water-borne diseases, chronic malnutrition and contribute to retaining girls in school. "It is becoming increasingly clear that access to drinking water means better health for our population, more attendance and better school performance for our children, greater production and productivity and an overall improvement in the quality of life."
Before the completion of the projects, financed by the government and cooperation partners, under the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Program (PRONASAR), people resorted to unprotected wells, intermittent streams, scattered fountains (hand pumps) to access the precious liquid, in some cases consuming salubrious water without any kind of treatment.
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