Congo: Opening of the largest drinking water station in Kamina
After more than 50 years of suffering
Written by Ziad Abdel Fattah:
The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix-Antoine Chisakedi Chilombo, the new Lofoi drinking water extraction and treatment plant in Kamina, O-Lomami district, is a step aimed at ending the water shortage crisis that the region's residents have suffered for more than half a century.
The station is part of the Chinese-Congolese cooperation program, and it relies on drawing water from the Lufui River, which is characterized by a high percentage of iron in its water, before subjecting it to advanced treatment processes according to approved standards, to produce about 7,000 cubic meters of drinking water per day.
It provides clean water to approximately 230,000 citizens.
The station is expected to provide clean water to about 230,000 citizens in the city of Kamina, which will contribute to improving the level of basic services and raising the living conditions of the population, after many years of suffering from a lack of drinking water.
During the opening ceremony, the governor of O-Lumami County affirmed that the project represents a major transformation in the lives of citizens, noting that the arrival of water to residents' homes reflects the state's commitment to improving quality of life and providing basic services.
The Minister of Water Resources and Electricity, Teddy Lozala Mulindo Sacombe, and the Chinese Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zhao Bin, along with officials from the Congolese Agency for Major Projects and the National Water Company, also praised the project, stressing that it reflects the success of the partnership between the two countries in implementing infrastructure projects and supports the government’s efforts to expand the scope of water services.
Following the inauguration, President Tshisekedi inspected the various facilities of the station before giving the official signal to start pumping water into the network. Authorities announced the start of a program to deliver water to homes in the coming days, to ensure that all residents of the city benefit from the project, which is the latest in the development of the drinking water sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
