Minister of Water and Sanitation, Abida Miya has outlined guidelines in the implementation of free water connection which she said has commenced.
The guidelines have been revealed during a press briefing which the minister held together with the Minister of Information and Digitalisation Gospel Kazako in Lilongwe.
Among others, Mia said that an applicant is entitled to one free water connection per year.
She said the free connection which is for domestic use only, will cover a distance of 24 meters from the service line, and beyond 24 meters, the applicant will cover the extra cost.
Mia further said Water Boards and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have set up a tight system to deal with fraudsters.
And in his remarks, Information Minister Gospel Kazako, has also clarified that the initiative is only meant to support households, as such, commercial entities will not benefit.
Speaking on the preparedness of the initiative, Engineer Robert Hanjahanja of Blantyre Water Board says the water utility bodies have enough materials ready to provide free water connection.
Engineer Hanjahanja, who is also the Chairperson for the Association of Water Service Providers, has also disclosed that 28, 000 connections are to be achieved this financial year at a cost of over 10 billion Kwacha.
The press briefing was being held under the banner ‘Government Faces the Press’ with an aim of updating the public on the plans that the Ministry of Water and Sanitation will be implementing.
