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*400,000 people to benefit from SALWACO Six Town Water Water Supply Project*

By SALWACO Communications Unit

Over four hundred thousand people are set to benefit from the Six Towns Water Supply Project implemented by the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).

The project is been set to be implemented in Kailahun, Pujehun, Moyamba, Kambia, Magbruka and Kabala respectively.

On the 20th-21st January 2021, SALWACO with support from the Ministry of Water Resources and two Board members from SALWACO signed the contract agreement and hand over the site to contractors in Kambia, Magbruka, and Kabala respectively.

The project is funded by the government of Sierra Leone under the leadership of the Talk & Do President and the design was done by SALWACO engineers and a team of consultants while signing of contract documents were done in all implemented areas respectively.

Speaking in Kambia the Deputy Minister of Water Resources Mrs. Nimatulai Bah-Chang said the project will create employment and help boost the economic situation in all project implementation areas.

 She congratulated the people of Kambia in supporting the government of President Julius Maada Bio and embracing the project.

Madam Bah-Chang said Kambia is a bread basket and the reason why the government is interested in the district and every other district across the country.

“We are focus on our development activities and the reason for this project.

“We have seen an expansion in the district as the population continues to grow. This is the more reason for this project”, she said.

The Deputy Minister said President Bio is very much interested in the water sector and in his address to parliament in 2019 promised to provide water to the people of Sierra Leone.

She said water is key in addressing series of other issues including health, education, and teenage pregnancy.

She assured the people of the government’s commitment to providing water to the people while applauding the Management and Board of SALWACO for moving the project this far.

The managing Director at SALWACO Ing. George Lamin Vandi admonished contractors to do a very good job noting that the six town water project is at the heart of the president.

“We at SALWACO will not hesitate to terminate the contract if the contractor does not follow the contractual agreement.

” But this is not something we want to do and the more reason we continue to call on contractors to do their best.

We don’t want to reach that end and the needs for contractors to do their utmost best in completing the project on time, he said”.

Customer, Mariama Kallon fetching SALWACO’S water

Customers connected to the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) water facility have praised the agency’s service especially the water that is provided. 

The water provided is considered cheap, safe, clean and affordable., Madam Mariama Koroma of Dama Road in Kenema explained the importance of connecting to the SALWACO grid; noting the water is clean and odourless.

“This is the water we drink and cook with. It is free from particles and very much good for domestic use. The water is also very cheap.”* She said.

Madam Koroma and her family are now free from waterborne diseases including diarrhea and related health issues. Kenema Station Manager, John Augustine Forewa said the water provided by SALWACO is within World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, connecting customers with the best of satisfaction while expanding opportunities that such services bring to people and their communities. *”The water quality is of importance to us as management and the reason why we do test on the quality always”* says Mr. John Augustine Forewa. ’’As a station, we have targeted ourselves to reach at least 1,200 customers by June of this 2020. We have intensified our outreach and community sensitization as well as optimal response rates.  And the need for support is now even more urgent than ever’’, he emphasized.

Mr. Aruna Gbekie in Bo city who is also connected to SALWACO water supply facility said the as Madam Koroma in Kenema.

“Since we connected to the facility, we have not had any interruption. Our tap runs on twenty-four-hour basis and the water is clean and good for consumption. We even have people selling plastic water accessing water from our tap” he said.

‘’We are now comfortable with the water situation here and pray it continues’’, he concluded.

According to the Managing Director of SALWACO, Mr. Joseph Munda Sandi, the management of the Sierra Leone Water Company’s (SALWACO) recent strategy to reach out to customers explains the importance of water and customer satisfaction. 

He said the agency for the past three days has been touring facilities of the Three Towns (Makeni, Kenema and Bo) Water Supply and Sanitation Project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB). The tour was to assess the water supply systems, meet staff and further look at challenges facing the project and wider operations of the company. 

The Chairman Board of Directors, Ing. Alhaji Mohamed Allieu Jalloh thanked all the three stations (Bo, Kenema & Makeni) staff for their dedication and hard work.

He said water is life and that the government of President Bio is very passionate about water provision for the people of Sierra Leone. 

“We have gone around the facilities and see the amount of effort put into the work but also took note of the challenges. We are impressed with what we’ve seen so far” the Chairman said.

SALWACO Deputy Managing Director. Mr. Albert H. Harvey (center) addressing Kailahun staff

The Deputy Managing Director of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO), Mr. Albert Harrison Harvey and team were in Kailahun for over three days proving water for the people of Kailahun.

This was done during the visit of the President Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio to Kailahun District.

The DMD together with his team play an active role during that period.

According to Mr. Harvey, the water came at the right time and water is very important in the lives of every human being, noting that one cannot exist without water.

(L-R) SALWACO Kailahun Station Engineer, Kebbie, SALWACO Managing Director, Ing. George Lamin Vandi, & Eastern Region Manager, Ing. Lansana Ba-Sawie

The Managing Director of Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO), Ing. George Lamin Vandi alongside with the Minister of Water Resources, Ing. Karimu Lansana, the National Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (NaMED) Dr. James Edwin and colleague engineers include Ing. Sawie and Kebbie are currently on a week- long water dam inspection at Yoroma Town, Malema Chiefdom, Kailahun District.

The inspection was done during President Bio’s visit at Kailahun over the weekend to unveil some of his development agenda for the district.

Speaking during the inspection at the dam, the indefatigable Managing Director of SALWACO, Ing. George Lamin Vandi underscored the significance of their fact findings mission at the water dam.

According to him, the water dam is no longer enough to supply water to the indigenes there following the increase of agricultural activities by the people of Yoroma. He said the Women in Agriculture Project pioneered by Mrs. Samuel Jibao, the wife of the NRA Boss under the mentorship of Mrs. Fatima Bio has established industry for Garri Production and other activities which requires increase volume of water supply to the people of the Township.

He said that in not too long distant future, they would work on the distribution system in order to increase the water volume in the catchment area.

As a Service Provider Company, he said, they are working towards actualizing President Bio’s ambition for increase access of water supply to the people and by extension achieving the Sustainable Development Goal that deals with increase access to water. He said that with improved access to water supply, it would help to complement health service delivery in the country. He said lack of accessibility to water supply affect the education of children as they were often sent in search of water.

He said President Bio’s ‘Human Capital Development Agenda’ prioritizes accessibility to water supply because with the availability of clean water supply, the people will be healthy.

It was a display of humility, love and show of respect to the people of Bonthe Island when President Bio descended from his vehicle Toyota Land Cruiser on the Island.
President Bio during Christmas festivities visited his  birth district of Bonthe and took time to visit the project site of the Bonthe Water Supply Project implemented by the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).

The ongoing water project is part of promises the president made to the people of Bonthe which is now becoming to reality.

President Bio appreciated the management of SALWACO for spearheading the project which has moving in the right direction.

He was assured by the SALWACO team that the people of Bonthe will soon be getting pipe borne water as the project is progressing satisfactorily.

A conducted tour was done on the project site led by the Minister of Water Resources, Ing. Philip Karimu Lansana, SALWACO MD, Ing George Lamin Vandi, Deputy MD, Albert Harrison Harvey, and the Bonthe Water Supply Project Ing. Sahr Augustine Sinah who vividly   updated the president on the project.

During the update, Ing. Sinah told the President and the people of Bonthe that by March 2021, the water supply system will be tested and supply will commence thereafter on Bonthe Island.

The Minister of Finance Jacob Jusu Saffa during the visit expressed delight in the work done so far while noting that thirty percent (30%) of payment has already been made before this time.

He said the contractors have done forty percent (40%) of the work noting that this is impressive.
“I want to say we are impressed about the progress and we hope the people of Bonthe will soon get clean drinking pipe borne water” he said.

A water bowzer was on the Island to give water to the people as part of government’s effort to supply safe drinking water to the Island.

The water bowzer was accompanied by the Deputy Director of SALWACO Mr. Albert Harrison Harvey.

It could be recalled that the Bonthe Water Supply Project started in June 2020 with a symbolic signing of the three lots of the contract. All hands are on deck to ensure the delivery of potable water to the Bonthe Municipality in a record time.

President of the Republic of S/L Rtd. Brig. Dr. Julius Maada Bio

During his Speech on the occasion of the State Opening of the Third Session of the Fifth Parliament, His Excellency Brig. Rtd. Dr.  Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone stated that improving water infrastructure systems t is an urgent need to review the 2010 National Water and Sanitation Act in order to align it with outcomes and indicators set out in Sustainable Development Goal 6.

President Bio added that the draft reviewed policy has been developed and stakeholder consultations will be soon concluded. The policy will be finalized and introduced this year to guide interventions in the water and sanitation sector. Eight (8) Water Regulations (complaints handling procedures, licensing rules, consumer service, quality of supply, service provider reporting rules, water codes, bottled and sachet water production regulations, certification rules) have been developed, laid before parliament, and are now maturing into law. Pursuant to Government’s commitment to monitor and regulate our water resources, the National Water Resources Management Agency (NWRMA), which was set up by an Act of Parliament in 2017, is now fully operational with appreciable staff compliment and a five-year strategic plan has been developed.

He said, his government is pursuing action to ensure improved water supply across the country, noting that his government has provided funding for the reconstruction of water supply systems in six District Headquarter Towns (Moyamba, Pujehun, Kailahun, Kabala, Kambia and Magburaka).  His government has also provided funding for and will soon commence work on the reconstruction of the Bonthe water supply system.

The Reconstruction of Water supply systems in Bo, Kenema, and Makeni is nearing completion. Residents are already accessing water from these systems. However, very few households are connected to the system. SALWACO is currently accelerating service connections in the three towns. This project is scheduled for commissioning this year. Government has also completed 406 hand dug wells, 125 boreholes, 22 rain water harvesting systems, 301 public sanitation facilities, 200 rain gauging stations, and 20 surface and ground water monitoring stations across six districts (Koinadugu, Falaba, Kono, Kambia, Pujehun and Bonthe).

Additionally, Government has rehabilitated 1100 water points and currently constructing fifteen (15) gravity-flow water supply schemes. Government has made significant investments in WASH in Schools and Health Facilities nationwide. GUMA and SALWACO are aiming at increasing access to Water in Health Facilities at 50 Health Facilities from 65% to 75% and WASH in Schools interventions in about 100 Schools.

President Bio added that DFID has funded feasibility studies and detailed design on the rehabilitation of the Guma Dam, the Water Treatment Plant, Transmission Network, leakage management for distribution network, Spur Road pumping station, extension of the distribution network and refurbishment of the Allen Town water supply system. The World Bank has also funded the Freetown Emergency Recovery Project that will rehabilitate the water treatment plant at the Babadorie Dam, Regent, and the laying of a 4km distribution network in communities close to the mud slide area at Mortormeh. The Government of Sierra Leone has solely funded the Lumley–Aberdeen Beach Road Water Supply Improvement Project which provides service connections to recreational centres and businesses along the beach. He therefore informed the nation that funding has been secured from the African Development Bank and other partners for improvement of the water supply infrastructure in Freetown for increased access to sustainable water supply, sanitation services and hygiene. This project will also develop water sources in small catchment areas along the Western Peninsular for domestic use. Additionally, a pilot project is being implemented in Kingtom and Aberdeen which will isolate and meter these two settlements to determine and understand revenue loss or gain from the water sup

(L-R) SALWACO Stakeholder & Media Relations Manager, Mary M. Ngegba, new appointed Managing Director, Ing. George Lamin Vandi, Internal Auditor, Brian Gray, New appointed Deputy Managing Director Mr. Albert Harrison Harvey

In a way to promote the provision of access to clean, safe and quality water supply in the provinces, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio has recently appointed a new Managing Director, in the person of Ing. George Lamin Vandi and his Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Albert Harrison Harvey to serve as heads of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) whose mandate is to provide access to water and water related sanitation in the fourteen districts including Bonthe Municipality. 

On the 20th October 2020, members of Parliament approved the new Managing Director after successfully going a thorough committee interview.

In his statement, the Chairman for the Water Committee in Parliament, Hon. Lahai Marrah congratulated the new Managing Director and also referred to him as a seasoned Engineer who will work hard to provide clean and safe drinking water in the provinces.

Many other parliamentarians also showered praises on Ing. Vandi noting that he was also a Procurement Expert and with all these, they hope that he will push the Agency to a higher height.

Hon. Lahai Marrah maintained that the former MD was very hardworking and energetic man and he therefore encouraged the New MD to continue the hard work in order to fulfill the President’s agenda at the same time meeting the SDG 6 on water for all.

“I hope that with your passion and a qualification as a seasoned Engineer you will able to provide safe and clean water for people living in the provinces”, he stated.

 The new MD was then escorted to his new SALWACO compound where he was formally introduced to the Senior Management staff.

In his Company were; the Minister and Deputy Minister of Water Resources, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, and a host of Ing. Vandi’s relations.