News from Mozambique
News items from Mozambique on the WASH sector.
Fifteen thousand people deprived from access to drinking water in Southern Mozambique
The small water supply system of Quissico, District of Zavala, has been damaged for a month as a result of failure of its pumping system.
Mozambique´s National Statistics Institute will make data more accurate and representative
A senior statistician at the National Statistics Institute in Mozambique says he expects the link with his institution to be a “wonderful collaboration” that will help WASHCost data to be officially accepted in Mozambique. WASHCost will be collecting data in 46 communities in five Provinces out of 10 Rural Provinces plus 22 peri-urban areas, conducting a minimum of 1,300 household surveys to find out more about the real costs of water and sanitation and linking that to the quality of services being provided.
How long can we maintain our existing waterpumps?
“It is practically uncertain how we are going to sustain the maintenance and reparation costs for our Afridev hand pumps. The cost of living, spare parts prices and maintenance costs are dizzyingly rising each year. Our water committee has asked the members to increase their monthly payment to MZN 20 meticais [Euro 0,53/ USD 0.60, exchange rate of 310310] that helps to keep the pumps operational.” This is how Jaime Fulao Nhaswe, a young teacher and also the Secretary for the local Water Committee in Metanato Community, southern Mozambique shares his fears for an uncertain future.
Jamie’s concern is that while on one hand prices are rising, on the other, “our sources of income and our purchasing power are proportionally depreciating each year, making us incapable to cope with various needs. I therefore fear that one day, we’ll no longer be able to collect enough contributions for these pumps. And this is already happening with our neighboring communities”.
Why do handpumps in Mozambique break down?
There are four main factors that together or independently contribute to early breakdown of hand pumps in Mozambique, said the local water authority during a field visit of the Mozambique team.
Chimoio city benefits from 24 hrs/day water supply
Starting next July, the city of Chimoio will have a 24 hours a day water supply system due to efforts undertaken by government’s FIPAG – Water Supply and Heritage Fund. Under its financing, the first phase of the water supply and treatment infrastructure project which is to serve three cities, namely Manica, Chimoio and Gondola Chicamba , as well as a pipeline that will transport water to Chimoio, was yesterday inaugurated.
Supply by private companies: Committee looks for balanced solutions
A technical committee consisting of representatives from the Mozambican Government and private water supply associations came into office yesterday, February 8, 2010. The committee is mandated to find balanced solutions for the dispute between the parties, with regards to the granting of licenses for water supply to populations that are not yet served through the public water network in the cities of Maputo and Matola, southern Mozambique. The committee should present its proposals in April, 2010.
By 2012: Water Supply Network to be doubled in Maputo City
The Chair of the Board of FIPAG, Nelson Beete, announced today the beginning of works for construction of more than 500 km of water supply network in the city of Maputo; an infra-structure that is expected to serve households that had so far no access to the public water service.
Water supply: Sector reforms already producing results
The urban water supply system reforms that begun in 1999 has produced good results, thus ensuring full compliance with government goals as well as MDGs that foresee reduction by half of people without sustainable access to safe water by 2015.
The information was given on January 29, 2010, by the new Public Works and Housing Minister, Cadmiel Mutemba, when speaking at the signing of a contract between the FIPAG and the International Finance Corporation, to examine options for private sector participation in the delegated management of water.
WASHCost message is spreading and gets local follow up
Mr. Brito Soca, Provincial Director of Water in Mozambique, explains what messages he shared in his province and why life-cycle unit costs are important to take into account.
The drop (of water) that can generate conflicts in SADC
Leaders of the SADC region know that water scarcity is an issue threatening relations between the countries, however rather to suggest that this possibility is almost nonexistent.
