Angola: Benguela's Neighboring Cities Puts Pressure On Water Supply System

5 January 2024
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)

Lobito — Benguela's neighboring cities of Lobito, Catumbela and Baía Farta has put pressure on the water supply system, the CEO of the Benguela Provincial Water and Sanitation Company (EPASB), Paulo Jorge, said.

According to the CEO, the company's production capacity did not taken into account these municipalities when the water system was built.

"They began to be supplied by an existing system and if there was already a deficit before, with this increase, the response capacity has clearly decreased," he explained.

Currently, EPASB's production capacity is 1.5 cubic metres of water per second and the provincial government plans to increase this to 3.5 m3 per second.

Paulo Jorge said that the water supply in the centre of Luhongo is satisfactory, while in Baía Farta it is done only three times a week.

In Lobito, on the other hand, "thanks to investment by the Housing Development Fund (FFH), which put in a pumping station and a 400-millimetre pipeline that channels water to the centrality and some neighbouring districts".

"At the moment it's receiving water in a controlled way in order to make up for the deficit that existed," he said.

Asked about the challenges for 2024, Paulo Jorge said that the emergency works, which began last year, will be completed this year.

Among the main actions are the recovery of the Luhongo Water Treatment Plant (ETA) and the extension of the Chiule field, both in Catumbela.

He recalled that last year seven boreholes were built in the Chiule field, with a capacity of 180 cubic metres, making a total of 1,225 cubic metres.

"We're going to double the production of the Chiule field to supply the upper areas of Catumbela and Lobito.

With regard to water quality, the CEO revealed that the company has a laboratory that monitors the liquid from the entire distribution network of the Luhongo WTP.

"The results of these parameters are within the standards admissible by the World Health Organisation (WHO)," he said.

He said, however, that the southern part of Benguela, because it still has some pipes made of fibre cement from the colonial era, has water below acceptable levels. TC/CRB/DAN/DOJ

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