7,800 families in Maimana find access to clean water

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Benefitting thousands of families, a clean drinking water supply network has been inaugurated in Maimana, the capital city of northern Faryab province, said local officials on Tuesday.

Engineer HamidullahYilani, General Manager of the Water Supply Company, said the water supply network in Maimana was more than 93km long and its construction cost nearly 250 million afghanis from the government development budget in 1397. The network was inaugurated by the president.

He said the water supply network’s completion benefitted 7,800 families. Construction of three storage facilities each having the capacity of storing 600 cubic meters of water, digging two wells to a depth of 100 meters and their construction, installation of equipment for the previous three wells, a protection room and office repairs were part of the water supply network project.

He said the water supply network has the capacity to supply healthy water to the citizens for at least next 50 years. He said efforts were underway to start work on the second phase of the network soon.

According to his information, the main work of the project has been completed and water has reached people’s houses. “Now it is the duty of citizens to take care of the network, pay their water bills to support the water company”.

He said each family should pay 25 afghanis against consuming one thousand litres of water — the same price throughout the country.

Governor Naqibullah Fayeq, while appreciating the attention of the president and activities of the Public Water Supply Company, said that the second phase of the Maimana water supply network should be started in eight districts so that all residents could find access to clean drinking water.

Fayeq said due to insecurity, the population of Maimana had quadrupled, which led to drying up of water in wells.

He said people were suffering from water shortages and all areas should be covered in future.

bk/ma