THE WHITE PLAINS Water Treatment Plant was originally built in 1957 with funding from the United States government, and with the support of other development partners it was expanded in 1970 to provide around 18 million gallons (68,100 cubic meters) of drinking water per day to Monrovia. However, the war destroyed the dam and pipeline leading to the treatment plant, requiring the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) to pump water to the plant directly from the St. Paul River. Since then, the quality and taste of water has suffered.
BUT WHAT APPEARS to be the change of narrative for the history of safe-drinking water in Monrovia occurred on Friday, August 20, 2021, when the Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, broke ground for an urban water supply project, fully funded by the International Development Association (IDA)-World Bank Group and implemented by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) of the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC).
THE WORLD BANK recently ratified a US$10 million additional financing for Liberia’s urban water supply project, which started in 2016, targeting central Monrovia and surrounding cities. Under this project, an express waterline is to be constructed from the Fish Market water booster straight to the Newport Street water booster, which will again see the free flow of safe-drinking water to Central Monrovia.
ACCORDING TO INFORMATION, central Monrovia last received water supply from the White Plains Water Treatment Plant between 2005 and 2006, when efforts were being exerted by the Sirleaf administration, in collaboration with development partners, to restore water to central Monrovia. It was said that Monrovia received water for a little over an hour, and that was it.
THIS, ACCORDING TO information, prompted the construction of the Fish Market booster, in order to receive water from the Mount Coffee dam for onward distribution to central Monrovia and parts adjacent through manual means.
ONLY IN ITS fourth year, the administration of President George Manneh Weah has achieved yet another landmark achievement. If all goes as planned, the project is expected to kick off on August 30, 2021 and completed on August 30, 2022—a one-year duration. In addition to the construction of the express waterline to Central Monrovia, a water service reservoir will be constructed in Paynesville, as well as the construction of associated feeder and main distribution lines.
WHEN COMPLETED, THE new development will ensure that water is supplied in every part of central Monrovia, as well as in SKD, Du-Port Road, GSA Road, RIA Highway, Neezoe, Redlight, Gobachov Market, Wood Camp, Zayzay Community, Kesselly Boulevard, Coca Cola Factory, Kakata Highway, Whein Town Community, Johnsonville, Barnesville (Dry rice market road), Nicklay Town, Chicken Soup Factory, etc.