Kenema now has a brand-new intake pump for the provision of sustainable water of quality. The eastern regional city was without pipe-born water supply for a while following thunder and lightning which destroyed the earlier facility. The Regional Human Resource and Admin Manager said SALWACO has now procured three additional pumps to further salvage the situation.

Mr. Brima Allieu said when water was not running, management had to devise a mechanism of using water tanks to supply water to residents at a very minimal rate (50 cents per jerry can). He went on to say that continuous human activities (stone mining, charcoal-burning, gold mining, and the rampant cutting down of trees) in the Kambui Hills hosting the catchment weirs for the gravity source have been disrupting SALWACO’s activities over the years to which he called for such to be minimized if not eradicated. He said that government should equally aid in making such an aspiration a reality.

Regional Manager, SALWACO East, Ing Lansana Ba Sawi stated that the water supply has been restored for over a week now and that most customers have started receiving normal pipe-borne water supply. “Though we still have challenges due to the ongoing road construction that have severely damaged our network Installations,” he said “Our pipes are damaged due to illegal constructions on the right of way (ROW).” As a result, he said, some customers are still deprived.

On maintaining the SALWACO facilities, Ing Sawi said SALWACO will continue to work with the road contractors to minimize damage and also do a quick fix to damages that are less severe plus to collaborate with the Sierra Leone Roads Authority, Consultants, and the Ministry of Finance for provision of funds to reinstate all damaged network Installations as quickly as possible. He promised to further engage community elders, other stakeholders, and media groups on all aspects of water and sanitation regarding safety, importance, protection, payment, storage, and the likes so that an effective and efficient maintenance system will be put in place for quick response to all maintenance requirements in the near future.

Station Manager SALWACO, Kenema, Ing. Mohamed Yayah Sesay thanked the Water Resources Ministry and the SALWACO management for restoring water in Kenema after what he described as the unfortunate situation that put so much pressure on him as the direct contact.