Shoshong, a town located in the central district of Botswana, has struggled with severe water shortages in recent years.
With the aim of helping to alleviate these shortages, the Mahalapye Water Treatment Plant, located 50 kilometers from Shoshong, was upgraded by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in 2022.
Since the upgrade, the plant's water treatment capacity has increased from 160,000 cubic meters to 340,000 cubic meters per day, significantly improving the local water supply.
"Since the plant began operations, we no longer worry about water outages during cooking or laundry," said Batsile Olekile, a villager living in Shoshong.
Mahalapye Water Treatment Plant [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
"The new plant meets our daily water needs," said plant manager Badubi Ntsatsi.
"We now use chlorine dioxide for disinfection, which is more effective and longer-lasting than the chlorine gas used before. Additionally, the plant has introduced activated carbon filtration, improving water quality and enhancing the drinking water for local residents."
After the completion of work at the plant in April 2022, an open day was held for residents.
The local official who attended the open day said that the new plant has effectively solved drinking water shortages locally, and he extended his gratitude to CSCEC for their outstanding work on the project.
The construction of the water plant has also created numerous job opportunities for locals. During construction, 260 workers were employed, 218 of whom lived locally, achieving a localization rate of 84 percent.
The upgraded water plant has improved living standards for residents in Mahalapye and surrounding areas. Over the past 30 years, CSCEC has been committed to serving communities in Botswana, striving to strengthen the friendship between China and Botswana.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
