Maputo, 10 Oct (AIM) – The Mozambican government intends to increase the proportion of the population with access to clean drinking water from the current 62 per cent to 68 per cent by 2029, benefiting over five million people, as part of the consolidation of the government’s goals in its five-year programme.
According to the Minister of Public Works, Fernando Rafael, speaking on Thursday, in Maputo, at a meeting of his Ministry’s Coordinating Council, the government also plans to increase sanitation coverage from 37 to 47.7 per cent, which will allow it to serve an additional 5.7 million citizens nationwide.
He explained that the increased coverage is aimed at addressing the low level of drinking water storage, estimated at around 59.2 billion cubic meters, exacerbated by the drought that has plagued the country in recent years.
“National water storage capacity remains significantly reduced, at approximately 59.2 billion cubic meters, representing only 30 percent of the average annual runoff. If we exclude the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant (HCB), this capacity drops to approximately five per cent, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to extreme events”, said Rafael.
According to the minister, the government is strongly committed to the construction and rehabilitation of strategic hydraulic infrastructure, including dams, small reservoirs, dikes, and retention systems, with a direct impact on productive sectors, especially agriculture and industry.
Priorities, he said, include the new strategic dams of Lócomuè (in Niassa province), Muera (Cabo Delgado), and Macuje (Nampula).
“At the same time, we will expand the construction of small dams and excavated reservoirs in arid and semi-arid areas and proceed with the rehabilitation of protective dikes in the Incomáti, Limpopo, Zambezi and Licungo basins”, he said.
He also revealed that, during the current five-year period, the drafting of the Rovuma River Agreement with Tanzania and Malawi and the revision of the Umbelúzi Agreement with Eswatini are planned, in order to strengthen joint management and ensure the ecological flows necessary for environmental and ecosystem balance.
“The Government plans to build 154 water supply systems throughout the country, establish 133,000 new household connections in cities, towns, and rural areas, as well as build and rehabilitate three treatment plants: two for wastewater (Beira and Quelimane) and one for fecal sludge (Tete)”, he said.
According to the minister, the implementation of these actions will contribute to strengthening water security, and to boosting agricultural and livestock activities.
(AIM)
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