MOZAMBIQUE: drinking water supply for 90,000 people in Niassa to be improved

To improve the supply of drinking water to people in the northern province of Niassa in Mozambique, the government is launching phase II of the Project to promote sustainable water supply, hygiene and rural sanitation (PROSUAS). The initiative will benefit 90,000 people in five districts.

In Mozambique, the government is making progress with the implementation of the Project for the Promotion of Sustainable Water Supply, Hygiene and Rural Sanitation (PROSUAS), launched in 2013 in the northern province of Niassa. On 8 September 2023, the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Carlos Mesquita, launched the second phase of this project, which aims to improve access to drinking water and sanitation for 90,000 people.

Of the six districts involved in the works, five will benefit from Prosuas II, namely Majune, Mandimba, Mavago, Muembe and Ngauma. “It’s a commitment to improving the living conditions and health of our people,” says Minister Carlos Mesquita. In these districts, the work will involve the construction of five drinking water supply systems, 100 standpipes and five toilet blocks between now and 2027. The project will be supervised by the Niassa Provincial Directorate of Public Works.

The Mozambican Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources estimates the cost of the works at 14 million dollars. It will be financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The East African country has also received financial support from the Interdependent Government Agency, which coordinates Japan’s official development assistance.

The first phase of Prosuas provided the districts of Mavago, Muembe, Majune, Mandimba, Metarica and Cuamba with 50 new water sources, 200 toilet blocks and hand-washing facilities. Technicians in Niassa province have also received equipment to assess the level and quality of water in boreholes.