THE LIBERIA WATER and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) was established by an Act of the National Legislature to supply water to eight thousand inhabitants in Monrovia and its suburbs. However, the inhabitation of Monrovia has been estimated at 1.2 million people, which has put huge pressure on the LWSC to adequately supply water to more communities, particularly since the end of the 14-year civil war. To help alleviate this problem, the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project (LUWSP) has received additional financing to construct a booster from Fish Market to Newport Street, as well as construct the Paynesville Service Reservoir to provide accessible water to various communities. The Liberia Urban Water Supply Project (LUWSP) is tackling the problems.
AT A ONE-DAY consultation communities meeting held in Paynesville, the Environment and Social Impact Assessment Consultant of the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project, Dickson J. Chowolo, stated that it has not been easy for many communities to access safe-drinking water over the years. According to him, access to water has been a serious challenge in many urban communities, for which the government and its partners, including the World Bank, are exerting effort to address.
CONSULTANT CHOWOLO SAID the project will bring relief to several communities in Paynesville and beyond in terms of access to water. The Engineer of the Liberia Urban Water Supply Project, Walker Richards, said the reservoir to be constructed in Rock Hill community, GSA community, will contain one million gallons of water to supply nearby communities along the ELWA areas, and that the reservoir at Ducor will contain about six thousand gallons of water, which will supply water to Mamba Point, Newport, Benson and Carey streets, among others. Engineer Richards stated that the project is intended to provide water to Paynesville and central parts of Monrovia.
THE PROJECT IS supported by the World Bank through the LWSC’s Expansion and Extension Water Supply Program, as well as improving services to the people in the communities of Monrovia and its surrounding.