Africa-Press – Lesotho. After a long absence in Maputsoe area, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation (WASCO) as part of the Mabalane Water Supply project has provided 8 boreholes for water supply to supplement the supply capacity. Maputsoe town.
On March 25 last year the Honorable Prime Minister Dr Moeketsi Major officially launched the Mabalane Water Supply Project and marked the beginning of the Maputsoe water supply improvement project in response to the water demand in the area.
The Minister of Water, His Excellency Kemiso Mosenene explained that Maputsoe is in dire need of water and is a huge threat to the country’s economy as some factories need a lot of water to get their work done properly.
He said the government had given money to WASCO to improve the water supply of the Mohokare River and to build a water treatment plant in Ha-Moholisa village. He added that the facility was recently built and upgraded in 2009, adding that it was not in a position to expand the water supply to Maputsoe town.
Mosenene explained that the required water capacity in Maputsoe is estimated at 85 Megalitres per day, and the new one is intended to increase the water supply to a maximum of 5 Megalitres per day from 3 Megalitres per day.
“About 55,000 people will benefit from this development,” Mosenene said.
He went on to explain that over the years Maputsoe town has grown exponentially including the surrounding towns including Ha-Chaka, Ha-Matsoete, Kholokoe, St Monica, Mpharane and Ha- Maqele.
“During the drought the Mohokare River dried up and the water supply became a major problem, which is why the government teamed up with World Bank donors to improve groundwater levels in the St Monica Valley.
Ha-Nyenye and near the Mokota-koti river. Mabalane Water Supply Project Coordinator Mr Mathealira Lerotholi explained that the first phase of the project included Metolong, Roma, Teya-Teyaneng and Morija.
He said the second project that the government has already embarked on is Hlotse, Maputsoe, Mafeteng and Mohale’s Hoek, and it has already started with plans.
World Bank Representative Mr Yoichiro Ishinare said the need for water affects people’s lives, affects economic development, affects sectors such as agriculture, and the public sector as well as the private sector.
He highlighted the importance of water and said that the issue is how to treat and maintain water, it is not necessary to fight for water, it is important to know how the community uses water in order to conserve it.
Community Representative Mr Mahlapholane Rantsoti thanked his people, saying water was a great need for man because water is life, adding that in their area there are factories and in factories there are 200 people who have lost their jobs due to lack of water.
“Clothes made in factories are taken to Qoa-Qwa for washing, and factories that have to come here cannot work because there is no water.
“I am very grateful that the government has had a good idea of fetching groundwater,” Rantsoti said.
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