Partnering with the private sector to transform water management in Liberia
“The installation of pumps in our homes and the construction of the kiosk in Telboima Community by Peace & Development Outreach Volunteers (PDOV) with technical support from the government of Liberia through the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC) will go a long way in improving the social and economic well-being of the residents of our communities,” says Tarnue Jallah, chairman of Telboima Community.
Located in Voinjama, a small city in the hilly northern part of Liberia, Telboima is one of 15 communities where new household water connections were completed between February and May 2024, with support from the USAID Improved Access to Safe Drinking Water in Liberia project, implemented by Winrock International.
As a result of the improvements, over 5,000 residents no longer have to endure two-hour waits to fill water containers at wells or hand pumps, or face achingly long walks to lug their water home – an exhausting chore that, as in many places with limited access to water, often falls to children.
The work was accomplished thanks to a partnership supported by the USAID project between PDOV, a private utility company in Lofa County, and LWSC.
The new infrastructure is helping to improve lives, including boosting academic performance among primary and secondary school children, with students earning better grades and participating in more extracurricular activities, including quizzing, debating and drama clubs.
“Since the pump was installed, my children are always in the house studying their lessons, and they have never been late for school since,” says Ma Klubo, a resident of Selega Road Community. “I don’t have to send my children long distances for water because we have it right in our house.”
Improved water access has also enabled families in the area to expand their gardens.
Christiana Akoi, chair of the Local Steering Committee, adds: “I am grateful to God first and the American people for their continuous support to the government of Liberia that has resulted in the provision of a WHO [World Health Organization]-standard drinking water facility to our communities, especially in our homes.”
New household water connections are enabling even the most geographically disadvantaged residents to have reliable access to safe drinking water.
When PDOV took over the water supply system, it faced obstacles including insufficient funding to maintain quality service delivery and extend water service beyond the initial 569 household connections across the city.
Despite the challenges, the company added 17 new household connections and renovated two dysfunctional water points – using its own resources.
In addition, the company repaired all leakages in the system’s network and replaced and repaired all damaged water faucets, refurbishing water infrastructure that now provides over 5,000 people with access to safe and affordable drinking water.
“Voinjama is a beautiful city with a lot of potential, and PDOV is honored to be a part of the historic transformation of the city’s development through the provision of a sustainably safe and affordable drinking water service to the people,” says Joseph Nyuma, Sr., PDOV’s chief executive officer.
Nyuma acknowledged both the Liberian and U.S. governments for providing logistical and technical support and investments in improvements at the Voinjama plant.
A complete transformation in water management in Voinjama is on the horizon, as communities gain more access to safe and affordable drinking water through PDOV’s management of the plant. The water network in the area has expanded significantly, reaching new communities through household connections, installation of a new well, and via repairs and improved maintenance to both new and existing water kiosks.
The improvements are significant for another reason. They mark the first time that a private utility in Lofa County – the PDOV – used its own resources to extend water service to new customers. In less than five months, the company built two new kiosks in Telboima and City View and connected 17 new households in 12 communities in Voinjama City. This initiative has given Ma Klubo and thousands of other residents in Voinjama access to safe drinking water for the first time.
The water treatment plant in Voinjama is one of three water supply systems built by USAID as part of the Liberia Municipal Water Project II. The plants are part of a broader effort to help the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation enhance the sustainability of its water systems and build local management capacity.
Through a cost-reimbursable contract with USAID, a private company operated and managed all three systems. In February 2023, the Liberian government transitioned the systems to a private utility company through a different management contract mechanism, resulting in the hiring of PDOV.
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