BY Mohamed Konneh
The Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) is set to connect a total of One Thousand Five Hundred new customers in Makeni and its surrounding towns and villages by March of this year.
This was made known by the Makeni Station Manager Mr. Cyril Bell during a tour of the facility by the Board of Directors and Management Team of the agency.
The One Thousand Five Hundred new customers will add to the already existing customers of 810 bringing the total number in the Bombali District to Two Thousand Three Hundred and Ten Customers.
Welcoming the board and team Mr. Bell highlights the successes recorded by the Makeni Office noting that water is provided on twenty four hour basis and seven days a week.
He said both Wusum and Konsho water treatment plants now provides over 20,740 cubic meter serving a population size of 126,059.
‘A total of 810 customers are benefiting from the facility at the moment and with more customers coming onboard revenue will be increased but also bringing service to the doorstep of the people. There is a high demand and willingness on the part of the people to pay for the water while there is abundant raw water with satisfactory quality’ he said.
The Station Manager also spoke about the New Water treatment plant with high production rate and expansion of distribution network with a large market opportunities.
‘The challenge we have now is for the reservoir to completed after which more and more customers will be reach. He said.
Mr. Bell however highlighted few other challenges despite the progress made so far adding that qualified billing officers or meter readers are needed at the moment.
‘We also have a faulty intake control panel for pump 2, lack of preventive maintenance and slow response to repair request couple with unreliable power supply from EDSA.
The new balancing reservoir at Konsho that is yet to be constructed is a major challenge and the need for the construction of this reservoir, he said.
SALWACO’s Managing Director Joseph Munda Sandi in his response thanked staff at the Makeni Treatment Plant for their dedication and hard work while calling on them to continue the good work.
‘We are impressed with the level of work and commitment from the team here and this speaks to the pronouncement of President Bio declaring this year as a year of delivery.
He said customer satisfaction is paramount and that the work ongoing at the treatment plant explains the level of satisfaction customers continue to experience.
‘We are committed in providing water for the people in Makeni and the other areas where we have the Three Town Water Project. Stay focus and give your best for the good of the country” he said.
He assured the team at Makeni of the agency’s support while calling on staff to focus on their work with the aim of providing the best of services for the people.
Alusine Bangura is a customer in Makeni and was very pleased with the service provided by SALWACO.
‘It is over six months since I was connected and I hardly get interrupted water supplies. I am also happy to note that payment is now done at the bank and only slips are brought to the office. This shows the level of transparency and accountability display by workers in Makeni and we hope this continue he said.
SALWACO Board Chairman Engineer Alhaji Jalloh applauded the staff in Makeni and call on them to continue giving their best.
”Our existence as an agency is for the customers and the reason why customer satisfaction is key to what we do.
We are a service provision agency and we must be seen doing what we were created for. With the amount of work done here and the level of satisfaction from customers, it gives us hope that we are working in the interest of the people we serve, he said.
The Makeni treatment plant continues to improve connectivity with mass connection materials now in store.
The tour of facilities which started with the Makeni Treatment Plant was followed by the Bo and Kenena Treatment plants respectively.