
Barragem dos Pequenos Libombos
Maputo, 29 Dec AIM) – The Pequenos Libombos dam, on the Umbeluzi river, which supplies Maputo with much of its drinking water, is increasing its discharges to guarantee the security of the dam.
It has been raining heavily in Maputo province, and in neighbouring countries, notably Eswatini, and the reservoir behind the dam has been filling rapidly.
The reservoir can store 400 million cubic metres of water, and currently it is holding 340 million.
“We are beginning to receive large amounts of water from Eswatini”, said Lisete Dias, head of the Department of Water Resources at the Southern Regional Water Board (ARA-Sul), cited by the independent television station. STV. “On Wednesday we had to increase discharges from the dam to 30 cubic metres per second. With this increase, there will be no impacts downstream from the dam. Our intention is to continue discharges at the rate of 30 metres a second, for the next 72 hours, depending on what may happen”.
Faced with the increase in discharges, the Greater Maputo Metropolitan Regional Water Company is taking precautionary measures to avoid contamination and possible restrictions in water supply.
“What is most likely in this phase is increased turbidity at the Water Treatment Station, and we are prepared with chemicals to deal with this”, said the company’s engineer Joao Francisco.
The access roads to the treatment station might be flooded, said Francisco, “but in that case we shall resort to alternative routes to ensure that our staff and the water treatment chemicals can reach the station”.
Other major dams in the region, such as the Corumana dam on the Sabie river, and the Massingir dam on the Elephants River, are also increasing their discharges. ARA-Sul has warned communities living near the rivers to follow all instructions it may issue.
“Take all your equipment away from the rivers”, ARA-Sul advised. “Take care when crossing the rivers, because the flows of water are high”.
(AIM)
Pf/ (325)