Monrovia — Residents of one of Liberia's 15 provincial cities, Kakata, Margibi County, have begun receiving uninterrupted pipe-borne water.

The citizens began enjoying constant flow of safe water since July 24, 2008 when President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf turned on the tap to the city's water distribution line and inaugurated its restoration following almost 18 years of dormancy as a result of the Liberian civil strife.

The restoration of the Kakata pipe-borne supply water system was undertaken by the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) which infused more than US$175,000 into the project.

The LWSC management said the rehabilitation work include, among others, the re-drilling and refurbishing of two of four 130ft bull holes (underground wells) constructed since 1982, the reactivation of the more than 60ft Kakata Water Reservoir and the reconditioning of all major distribution lines throughout the city.

LWSC Station Supervisor, Hilary Yoryor, who took journalists on a guided tour of the facilities explained that his corporation has completed its distribution lines throughout the city, including strategic areas such as the C.H. Rennie Hospital, the County's administrative compound, Presidential Palace, the Booker Washington and Kakata Rural teachers Training Institutes as well as all communities.

"We have also erected five public water kiosks in various communities to enable the citizens to fetch safe drinking water thereby discouraging them from the use of unhygienic and unsafe water," Mr. Yoryor noted.

He said LWSC pumps roughly 22 cubic meters of water every hour for seven hours a day to its water reservoir for onward distribution through its lines to various localities in the city.

Mr. Yoryor noted that they have to chlorinate the water prior to it being pumped to the reservoir for simultaneous distribution.

A Kakata resident, Ma Hawa Gbassay, said since the restoration of the LWSC water system in the city, she has prevented her children from using water from unsafe wells and hand-pumps, adding that LWSC has brought back life to this city.

Another resident, Jieliba Sheriff said since LWSC restored the water, he said they have lived up to the expectation of residents by ensuring that water keeps coming for about seven to eight hours daily.

Briefly speaking to reporters, LWSC Deputy Managing Director for Operations, Bill Warner, disclosed that his corporation has launched series of sensitization and awareness programs on the local radio to encourage residents take advantage of the opportunity by connecting their residence to the system.

He said it was burdensome for LWSC to operate the Kakata water system at the expense of its meager resources from the Monrovia Water Supply System, and as such, it was incumbent upon residents and other institutions to connect to the system to enhance its sustainability.

Mr. Warner said Management was now contemplating on a term of reference for feasibility studies in other cities including Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, Harper, Maryland County, Greenville, Sinoe County and Gbarnga, Bong County.