Kiir inaugurates $47.8 million water supply project in Juba

JUBA, MARCH 16, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday inaugurated the largest water supply project which will provide safe and clean drinking water to more than 25,000 people in Juba.

Speaking during the commissioning of the water supply in Juba on Thursday, President Kiir said the water facility will provide clean drinking water to one-third of the Juba population.

“This new water facility of 10,800 cubic meters (m3) will increase juba’s daily water supply capacity from 7,200 m3 to 18,000 m3, a level enough to provide to more than one-third of Juba’s population,” said Kiir.

He said maintenance of this water facility remains a major challenge to the government.

“The main change we faced when projects of this nature are handover to the government by development agencies is the issue of sustainability. The challenge in front of us now is how we will maintain the water supply system we have received today for the benefit of Juba residents,” said Kiir.

“We dying of taste when we are sitting on the Nile, the famous Nile was not able to provide us with water although it is just running day and night.”

He directed the ministry of Water Resource and Irrigation to resort efforts to effectively manage operate and maintain the water supply system.

“To ensure that this project serves our people for a long time, I am instructing all leaders who are here today especially the Ministry of Water Resource and Irrigation to resort efforts to effectively manage, operate and maintain this water supply system for benefit of our people.”

The project which costs 47.8 million U.S dollars was commissioned at John Garang Mausoleum in Juba on Thursday under the theme “Safe and Clean Drinking Water”.

The plan funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) included not only a new water treatment plant but also water distribution networks.

In 2013, JICA initiated a water treatment plant that includes the construction of a service reservoir and pipes for distribution in Juba.

But it was interrupted by years of violence and COVID-19 that resulted in the Japanese government evacuating its engineers from the country.

Pal Mai Deng, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation hailed the Japanese government for supplying Juba with water.

“We are thankful to the government of Japan, and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their continued supply and commitment to providing safe and clean drinking water to our citizens in Juba,” said   Mai.

Mr. Ando Naoki, Senior Vice President of the JICA facility will stand as lasting a predecessor of true friendship with the Japanese people and their government.

“I hope this water supply system in Juba will be a symbol of friendship between South Sudan and Japan the same as Freedom Bridge,” said Ando.

In March 2020, President Salva Kiir Mayardit inaugurated the long-awaited 3.6-kilometer-long, Freedom Bridge in Juba after nearly 10 years of construction

The construction of the bridge started in 2013 but the outbreak of conflict in the same year halted its progress.

The Freedom Bridge is the major bridge in South Sudan with a total length of 560m, a width of 12.9m, and access roads on both sides making a total of 3700m.

The initial cost for the project was $91 million but in 2019 Japan government approved an additional $28 million for the completion of the bridge.