By Joe Turay
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — A $10.6 million water supply project intended to deliver clean water to residents of Angola Town in Freetown is in a defective state, according to Sierra Leone’s Auditor General in a report released for the 2024 financial year.
The project, implemented under the Freetown WASH & Aquatic Environment Revamping Project (WASHERP), was designed to treat water from a nearby stream and distribute it to the coastal community. However, auditors said the stream’s water level has dropped significantly, undermining the treatment plant’s ability to operate effectively.
The report said a pre-assurance study conducted before construction warned that a reservoir would be required to store water during periods of low flow. That reservoir has not been constructed, the auditors noted, contributing to delays in the project and worsening water shortages for residents.
Auditors recommended that the managing director of the state-owned Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC), which oversees water supply in Freetown, begin construction of the reservoir to ensure a reliable and sustainable water supply for Angola Town.
GVWC was not immediately available for comment.
