Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota, has described the Phalombe weir multipurpose rainwater harvesting structures as vital for supplying water to surrounding communities.
A weir is a barrier built across a river or stream to manage the flow of water and it can be used to measure water levels, supply water for irrigation, or generate hydroelectric power.
Chapota was speaking this after touring the K178 million construction work which is under the Malawi Resilience and Disaster Management Project (MRDRMP) and funded by World Bank.
She added that her ministry is aware of the challenges the district faces in supplying potable water to its people and assured that they will work with the Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) and Water Users Association (WUA) to reach a larger community.
The dam will have a storage capacity of 32,400m3 with an annual yield of 4,770.000m3 and the construction work started in May 2024 and is expected to end in November 2024.
By Linda Likomwa, MANA
