Cuito, ANGOLA, October 21 - A water abstraction, treatment and distribution and supply system will benefit five thousand families in Cuito City, central Province of Bié, was inaugurated last Saturday by the Angolan President, João Lourenço.,

The infrastructure that was built on Cuquema river shall pump 648 cubic metres of water per hour.

The total cost of the investment was just over USD 39.2 million financed by the China credit line and apart from Cuito it shall provide water to the neighbourhoods of Tchissindo, Pilot, Caluapanda, Militar, Azul I and Dois, Santo Antonio, Catemo and others.

João Lourenço, accompanied by the First Lady of the Republic, Ana Dias Lourenço, and ministers of various sectors, walked through all the areas of the infrastructure and received information about the value of the investment from the state Secretary for Water, Lucrécio da Costa.

Talking to the press, Lucrécio da Costa said that the project, which started in 2016, has allowed the government to elevate to 16,000 the number of families that consume drinking water in Cuito.

The official said that in 2020, more than ten connections will be done with the aim to continue assuring the improvement of the population’s living conditions.

The secretary of State explained as well about the advanced construction of the water quality control laboratory, which is to start functioning soon.

However, still for this year, there is a prevision for the reinforcement concerning technical assistance of Bié Company of Water and Sanitation, that is to ensure a study about the need of water in the region, to structure strategies that allow an average 60,000 home connections of piped water until 2025.

The Cuito City (capital of Bié), with an estimated population of 424.169, mostly peasants, will be supplied by a system able to pump seven thousand cubic metres of water per day.

The President of the Republic finished his last working day in Bié Province, which started last Friday, focused on finding out about its socioeconomic situation and to draw solutions to the population's problems. 

Regarding to the agenda visit, the Head of State inaugurated last Friday the Regional Hospital of Cuemba and reopened the Joaquim Kapango airport, in Cuito city.

He also verified the construction work in progress on the Provincial Hospital of Bié, which is about 70% completed.