Project News

The JICA Experts of the Water Supply Cluster, in cooperation with the State Water Corporation (SWC), have been conducting activities to strengthen capacity of the SWC with the following four (4) objectives:

• to strengthen capacity of operation and maintenance of water supply in Kassala Town,
• to strengthen capacity of financial management in the SWC office,
• to strengthen capacity of operation and maintenance of rural water supply facilities in Kassala State and
• to transfer technology to conduct a geophysical survey of ground water resources with two-dimensional electrical sounding.

Today, we would like to introduce the third activity " operation and maintenance of rural water supply facilities."

The Project selected the Wad El Helew Locality as a Pilot Project area. Water yard– pumps and electric facilities– have been out of order there due to poor operation and maintenance system. Many residents, thus, buy brown river water for drinking from donkey water-sellers. In an effort to establish a sustainable operation and maintenance system, in October 2011, the JICA Experts and the SWC started a rehabilitation work of the well facilities. The JICA Experts provide them technical assistance regarding the construction management and the well management on OJT basis. Young SWC staff who participated in the training of well rehabilitation technology at Public Water Corporation Training Center (PWCT) in Khartoum is taking initiative in the rehabilitation and construction management. They will be able to master the technology and solve technical issues in the future. The project plans to convey drinking water acquired by the rehabilitation to an elevated tank of a locality hospital for use of the hospital and nearby residents. The Locality hosted a mass meeting together with the SWC and JICA Expert Team on November 30, 2011 to explain the Pilot Project to the residents and exchange opinions.

The Wad El Helew Locality is also a Pilot Project area for the Health and Agriculture Cluster. Improvement of the living environment through safe water supply could contribute to generate synergy effects among these multi-cluster activities.

Well inside cleaning with air-lifting

Mass Meeting to explain the Pilot Project