Africa-Press – Angola. The distribution of drinking water to coastal cities in the province of Benguela could be reinforced, in 2024, through the replacement of the capacity of the Luhongo Water Treatment Station (ETA).
With the capacity to pump 1.5 cubic meters per second, the Luhongo ETA only has 0.5 m3/second available and, therefore, the government plans to recover the nominal capacity of the installed system, lost over the years due to equipment wear. .
According to the provincial governor of Benguela, the Integrated Program for Emergency Works on the coast, budgeted at 415 million euros, provides resources to replace the capacity of the Luhongo ETA, thus making it possible to mitigate the current deficit in water supply.
Luís Nunes announced that the Government is currently also investing to double the collection capacity in Campo de Furos do Tchiúle, in Catumbela.
The capture and treatment of water from Campo de Furos do Tchiúle has lower costs than water extracted on the surface (from a dam) of the Catumbela river for ETA-Luhongo, due to the high level of turbidity.
In addition to the five existing boreholes in Campo do Tchiúle, seven more are planned – two of which will have already been built, especially to reinforce supply to the highlands of the cities of Lobito and Catumbela, which depend on this system.
With the increase in water production from 21,600 m3/day to around 46 thousand m3/day, Campo do Tchiúle will be able to benefit more than 200 thousand consumers in the neighborhoods of Alto Liro, Zambia, Lixeira, 4 de Abril, Golfe and Alto Esperança , including the Housing Centrality, in the upper area of Lobito.
Results
As a result of investments in strengthening supply capacity from Campo do Tchiúle, the governor of Benguela says that water is now flowing again in some areas of the highlands of the cities of Lobito and Catumbela.
However, he admits that, although the quantity is not yet what is desired, work will continue to provide more water and more home connections, in order to alleviate the population’s difficulties.
“They are very large and specific pieces of equipment for that type of work (…). Just to manufacture it is taking a year, because there is none here on the market”, explained the governor.
As for energy, he made it known that there is production and, therefore, the focus is on working on the construction of transport lines and household connections, for the electrification of neighborhoods not yet covered.
More schools
The existence of 300 thousand children out of education also worries the governor, who is determined to change the fate of children who are taking classes in precarious schools.
In fact, he reiterated that the government’s goal is to improve the living conditions of the population in the province of Benguela, with the construction of more schools and health centers next year.
“We have many children out of education, but we are building many schools and we will do more”, he reinforced, pointing to education, health, water and energy as the government’s flagship.
On the other hand, he also assured that the government will pay special attention to public safety, building more police stations and introducing moving vehicles.
The improvement of public lighting on the Benguela coast, to increase the population’s feeling of safety, is part of the intervention.
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