The city of Mbuji Mayi, located in the province of Kasai Oriental, is once again encountering problems with the supply of drinking water, as it does every year during the dry season. Although three drinking water suppliers are present in the city, the situation is getting worse every day. The inhabitants, mostly women and young girls, get up early to fetch water, a commodity that has become rare and expensive.
The Regideso, which should supply the city with drinking water, is facing problems with obsolete machines that must be replaced. The MIBA Foundation (FOMI), another supplier of drinking water, is also in great difficulty because it has to finance itself without the financial support of MIBA, as was the case in the past. The distribution networks of these water suppliers are limited, which creates a difficult situation for the inhabitants of Mbuji Mayi.
Under these conditions, bicycle water dealers, commonly called “lemayi”, take advantage of the scarcity of this commodity by selling a 20-litre canister between 600 and 1000 FC, while it is paid between 100 and 150 FC when the water normally flows through the terminals of the associations of users of drinking water networks (Asurep).
This situation highlights the lack of investment in water supply infrastructure. The authorities are called upon to take urgent measures to resolve this problem, which affects the daily lives of millions of people.
In short, the water supply situation in Mbuji Mayi is worrying for the inhabitants of this city. Durable solutions must be sought and put in place to prevent this situation from recurring every year.