By Amin Kef Sesay
On the 26th November 2020, the Steering Committee of the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project (WASHAERP) approved its work plan and budget for 2021.
The arrival at that decision was taken during the 2nd meeting of Steering Committee held at the conference room of the Ministry of Finance.
Cephas Oguah, the Project Manager, pointed out that the approval of the Project work plan and budget means the main executing agency – Guma now has the authorization to carry out the activities in the work plan and within the annual budget.
He added that the approved work plan and budget will now be submitted to the African Development Bank for final approval; “any activity which has not been captured in the work plan cannot be carried out in the year because there will be no budget for it”.
The WASHAERP was born in 2018 with support from the African Development Bank and 8 other International Development Partners (Kuwait Fund, Islamic Development Bank, Adaption Fund, Green Climate Fund, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Saudi Fund, OPEC Fund for International Development, ECOWAS Bank) to develop 10 new smaller water sources at Kaningo, Angola Town, Baoma, Mongeba, Hamilton, Waterloo and other communities around the Western Area Peninsular to augment water supply from the Mile 13 Dam.
The project overall objective is to improve the water supply by 15% and sanitation services by 7% while ensuring the sustainability of the vital aquatic ecosystem in the Western Area by laying about 250km of distribution pipe works, build new storage facilities, rehabilitate about 10 existing reservoirs, Weirs and Booster stations.
The project will also seek to improve solid and liquid waste collection, treatment and disposal services; provide infrastructure and enhance capacity for the effective protection of the Western Area Protected Forest/Water-shed and promote good sanitation, hygiene and child nutrition practices of the primary beneficiaries (women and girls) while facilitating their gainful participation in the improvement of WASH services.
The Project Steering Committee is chaired by the Minister of Water Resources to provide strategic direction and oversight guidance, and Guma will implement the project together with other relevant agencies by virtue of their statutory responsibilities; and these include Ministries of Finance, Local Government and Rural Development, Agriculture and Forestry, Planning and Economic Development, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Freetown City Council, Western Area District Council, National Water Resources Management Agency, Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, National Protected Area Authority and WASHNET.
It could be recalled that the rapid urban expansion in Freetown over the last few decades has resulted in haphazard growth of communities and the expansion of drinking water reticulation system which have not matched the growth of new settlements. As a result, water supply connections to new households are mainly from one major distribution mains. The result is the widespread incidence of manifold supplies connections called spaghetti connections.
Old corroded mains and spaghetti connections are some of the reasons for the exceptionally high losses of water that is supplied. Because of high losses in the transmission lines, distribution systems as well as willful cutting and damaging of pipes, only 55 – 60 percent of the supply fed into the system is actually available for consumption.
Addressing staff of the Company early this year, the Managing Director Maada Kpenge said the main focus of GUMA in 2020 is going to be about reducing the high percentages of water leakages in the communities. ”The year 2020 will be about increasing the number of people with access to safe clean water supply and reducing leakages through extension of the pipe networks throughout Freetown”, he said.
And in line with that committment, already sub mains extensions have been completed in the following areas; Atlantic Beach Road, Assine Road – Juba Hill, Minah Drive – Juba Hill, Babadorie Lumley, Lucy Drive – Hill Station, Water Street – Congo Town, Sawi Drive Off King Harman Road, Bismarck Johnson Street, Cantonment Road, Wilberforce by Total Filling Station, Sugar Land – Goderich, Lower Scan Drive – Wilberforce, Thompson Bay – Off Wilkinson Road, Green Street – Off Kissy Road, Lower Dan Street, Queen Elizabeth Road, Africanus Road, Kissy Road by East End Police, Lumley Road –Wilberforce, Wilberforce Military Barracks and at Main Motor Road – Congo Town.
Also new pipe lines are going to be laid from Lumley to Malama, Spur Road to Malama, Spur Road – Sesay Drive to Smart Farm and at Goderich; all geared towards the efforts to address the leakages and increase access to water supply across the city, the Guma MD asserted.
Also recently, replacement of corroded submains to Wilberforce Village has been completed, resulting in improved water supply to the community for the 1st time in over a decade.
Similar water supply improvement works has also been completed at Pottor – Juba and all spaghetti connections eliminated.
Currently, work is ongoing between Angola Town and Adonkia and also at Alcock Street in the central part of the city to improve water supply to these communities.
