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The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change has invited major resort and lodge owners in Mangochi to an interface to emphasise on the need to insist on connection to the Southern Regional Water Board (SRWB) water supply system.
Previously, some large resorts and hotels were reluctant to connect to the SRBW system because SRBW, through government, invested heavily in building the resort in Nkhudzi Bay, which was officially opened by President Lazarus Chakwera last year.
This reluctance stems from the claim by hotels and lodges that they have invested heavily in their own water pumping and purification infrastructure since time immemorial – infrastructure which they claim is regularly tested by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS), the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism.
The parliamentary committee met at the Blue Fish Lodge in Mangochi on Friday to convince owners and managers on behalf of hotels and hostels. Memory Kamthunzi, executive director of the Malawi Tourism Board, said they saw no problem in connecting to the SRWB system but they were concerned about how to utilise the huge investment already made.
She said several other hotels and guest houses were also connected to the SRWB system, but others insisted on their investments, arguing that their own systems were strictly monitored by the authorities.
At the meeting, the National Water Resources Authority and the SRWB made detailed presentations, citing the Water Act 2013, under which if government-licensed suppliers are able to supply water, then hostels and hotels should comply.
The parliamentary committee, led by its chairperson Werani Chilenga, said SRWB must comply with the law as long as it has the capacity to supply, which it has done following the government’s investment in the Nkhudzi Bay project.
Chilega also stressed that it is in their interest to ensure compliance with the law, as it was they who approved the bill after the government presented it to Parliament – taking into account that the law guides the provision of clean and safe water.
The committee decided to invite hotels and hostels to the parliament on July 10 or between July 8 and 12, after representatives of hotel facilities asked for more time to consult with their venue owners.
The committee stressed that the real owners should be present at parliamentary meetings, any delegation should first be approved by parliament, and such representatives should have the final say, rather than saying they need to consult the owners again.
Kanthunzi, speaking to the media, said they would accept the invitation, hinting that they needed to reach a win-win situation in terms of water purification infrastructure in which they themselves have invested heavily.
Brown Mpinganjira, chairperson of the Sri Lanka Workers’ Rights Commission, said they were satisfied with the progress of the meeting as participants had understood what was required of them from the perspective of compliance with the law.
He stressed that water treatment is very complex and is not just about adding some chlorine, as adding too little or too much chlorine can be harmful to people’s health.
“I would also like to say that Parliament through this committee was interested in the Nkhudzi Bay project because they approved the loan that government raised on our behalf so that we can provide safe water to the people of Mangochi, including hotels and hostels.
“Our infrastructure is very modern, not only in Malawi but in the world. We provide the best water and we have a capacity of 20 million litres per day.
“At the moment, demand is low, but we are looking at expanding our capacity for future development in the communities we supply, including extending supply to parts of Liwonde and Baraka,” Mpingangira said.
Chilega concluded by saying that they want the real owners of hotels and hostels to attend the meeting instead of dealing with representatives as was the case during Friday’s meeting, where he kept telling attendees that the law cannot be circumvented.
The Nkhudzi Bay water supply plant, which will supply water to 92,000 households in Mangochi, was officially inaugurated. President Chakwera said the project was an example of value for money, saying: “This facility is more than just a building, it is a testament to our shared vision for a better future and our dedication to the well-being of our citizens.
“This is a testament to our determination to leave a lasting legacy for future generations. This facility is not a handout – it is a help and we must put it to good use to unlock the economic potential of Mangochi District.
He also urged SRWB to maintain the momentum and apply its successful model to the extremely important water projects in the pipeline – such as the standalone project at Cape Maclear in Mangochi District – one of the tourism hubs along Lake Malawi, and the planned Domashi multi-purpose dam.
Also in the pipeline is the Thuchira water supply project for Mulanje, Phalombe and Thyolo, and other projects to supply water to Baraka, Zalewa, Mwanza, Neno and Makangira.
“I hope you will push for rapid progress on these projects even harder than you did on the Nkhudzi Bay project because water is a top priority that affects everyone’s quality of life.
“Indeed, as a government, we are ready to reconfigure the priority areas of public spending to ensure that our limited resources are spent on priority areas with the greatest economic and production impact and not wasted on consumption,” he said.
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