SRWB receives international award

By Tiyese Monjeza

Netherlands based organisation Vitens Evides International has recognised the Southern Region Water Board-SRWB for its efforts in water source catchment protection.

Vitens Evides International Project Manager Dana van der Velden who presented the award on yesterday in Zomba, said SRWB was selected from other 35 water utilities bodies across the world, after the boards impressive interventions in restoring forest cover around Mlunguzi Dam, the main water source for the board.

‘The award seeks to encourage water utilities to enforce measures in environment conservation for uninterrupted water supply. What SRWB have done over the years by embarking on afforestation drive in management of Mlunguzi Dam is recommendable. We believe other water utilities can learn from this board,’ Dana van der Velden said.

SRWB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Duncan Chambamba expressed profound gratitude for the award, which he said will encourage them to improve on their service delivery in supply of portable water

‘We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five years with department of forestry to be co-managing Mlunguzi Dam catchment area at Zomba Plateau. This year, we planted 70,000 trees and we anticipate to plant 1.3 million trees by 2026,’ Chambamba said.

Under the MoU which SRWB signed with the department of forestry in 2021, the water utility body is expected to be managing 1145 hectares of land in Zomba Plateau, by planting trees and making fire breaks.