A taskforce instituted by President Peter Mutharika to investigate the Area 18 water contamination on Monday presented its report to Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara.
The taskforce in its report confirmed that Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) on July 18, 2017 supplied residents in Area 18 with water that was contaminated with waste matter.
The report that was presented by the taskforce chairperson Rexie Chiluzi also maintained LWB’s account that sewerage from a broken sewer slipped into a broken Lilongwe Water Board pipe that was supplying water to homes in the area.
“The sewer had been flowing in a roadside drain along Salima Street passing where the board’s water pipe burst which was 100 meters away from the overflowing manhole,” he said.
In its recommendations, the taskforce said LWB should be regularly conducting water quality tests in all parts of the city to ensure that quality of water conforms to standards.
The taskforce also advised Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) to have people who will be monitoring the sewer system daily while the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) was told to improve sanitation in the city.
Members of the taskforce included Pacharo Kayira who is Chief State Advocate in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Sphiwe Mauwa who is Director of Local Government Service in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Dr S.B Kabuluzi who is the Director of Preventive Health Services in the Ministry of Health and Population.
Secretary of the Taskforce is Victor Sandikonda was the Deputy Director of Administration in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
The taskforce was appointed in August last year and was given two weeks to complete its work but it has taken the group months to come up with its report.
