Maputo, March 23, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique's authorities assured on Monday that mains water is fit for consumption, despite being cloudy and its quality being threatened due to the rains of recent months.
"The quality is somewhat threatened, but it is water fit for consumption, which is being tested. It may show some signs of being slightly cloudy, but it is water of a certain quality, according to information we are receiving from our technicians working on this," the head of the Water Supply Investment and Property Fund (Fipag), Miguel Langa, told reporters in Maputo.
The official was speaking on the sidelines of a water sector meeting organised by the Ministry of Public Works, Housing, and Water Resources to present key challenges, opportunities, and sustainable solutions, as well as innovative paths to accelerate the expansion, efficiency, and resilience of the water supply and sanitation subsector in Mozambique.
Miguel Langa further assured that the event also aimed to present projects requiring large investments in the water sector, confirming that a specialised team from the water resources sector is currently working to mobilise resources to stabilise the situation.
"This crisis is also related to the rainy season. The waters are somewhat turbid and require extra effort for treatment, requiring the use of many chemicals to stabilise its quality," Miguel Langa acknowledged.
According to Miguel Langa, efforts are also underway to mobilise resources to develop water supply projects in all regions of the country, calling for the collaboration of partners to achieve these goals.
"But the first step is to identify structured projects, projects that are critical, especially those already included in the government's Five-Year Plan, and what we are launching today is the start of that process, in which it is expected that by May the agenda for a main plan to mobilise resources will be launched," he added, hoping for a structured plan with priority projects.
The death toll in the current rainy season in Mozambique has risen to 296, with 1 million people affected since October, according to a new update from the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD).
According to information from the INGD database updated on Monday morning, seven more deaths were recorded in 24 hours, with 1,015,904 people affected (10,000 more than the previous balance) in the current rainy season – which continues until April – corresponding to 232,280 families, with 17 people missing and 351 injured.
The January floods alone caused at least 43 deaths, 147 injuries, and nine missing persons, affecting a total of 715,716 people. Meanwhile, the passage of Cyclone Gezani in Inhambane on February 13 and 14 caused four more deaths and affected 9,040 people, according to INGD data.
In total, 21,679 houses were partially destroyed, 10,179 totally destroyed, and 204,789 flooded during this rainy season, with a total of 304 health units, 104 places of worship, and 722 schools affected in less than six months.
INGD data also indicates that 267,205 hectares of agricultural areas were lost, affecting 354,811 farmers, and 531,068 animals died, including cattle, goats, and poultry.
Furthermore, 8,434 kilometres of roads, 50 bridges, and 237 culverts were affected this rainy season.
Since October, Mozambique's disaster management institute has activated 184 accommodation centres, which at one point housed 127,426 people; 53 centres remain active (40 more than last week due to recent flooding), holding 17,430 people, in addition to the record of 7,214 people who had to be rescued.
VIYS/RYOL // AYLS
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