BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
LOMAHASHA- The Lomahasha–Namaacha Transboundary Bulk Water Supply Project has reached 70% completion in its first phase, with commissioning scheduled for 25 April 2026, marking a major milestone in efforts to improve access to potable water for border communities in Eswatini and Mozambique.
This week, the Corporation’s Board of Directors and Executive Management undertook a site visit to the Lomahasha Reservoir, Mananga Water Treatment Plant, and Simunye Water Treatment Plant to assess progress made thus far.
The inspection confirmed steady advancement across key infrastructure under the project’s first phase.
The LoNa project is a collaborative initiative between the governments of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Republic of Mozambique, aimed at providing sustainable access to potable water to communities in Lomahasha in Eswatini and Namaacha in Mozambique. Once fully completed, the project is expected to benefit more than 30 000 people in the two border towns.
Under the first phase, 22 kilometres of the planned 31-kilometre pipeline have already been laid, while two booster pump stations along the pipeline have been completed. In addition, two 2.2-megalitre water reservoirs are fully constructed. Commissioning of the first phase is scheduled for 25 April 2026.
The milestone represents a significant acceleration in project delivery. This publication reported in July 2025 that the project stood at 27% completion, highlighting the substantial progress achieved since then.
Beyond infrastructure delivery, the project has also created employment opportunities for many local residents from Lomahasha, Namaacha, and surrounding areas, providing much-needed income and skills transfer during the construction phase.
The LoNa project forms part of the second transboundary bulk water supply initiative under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Fund for Water Infrastructure and Basic Sanitation, commonly known as the SADC Water Fund. The project was officially launched on 6 June 2024 by the governments of Eswatini and Mozambique.
Valued at €16 million, the project is being implemented by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and funded through the SADC–German Regional Development Cooperation, with financial support from the German Cooperation through the KfW Development Bank. In addition to improving water access, the project is designed to build climate resilience through shared regional infrastructure development.
The joint intervention is particularly important as the border towns of Lomahasha in Eswatini and Namaacha in Mozambique have been severely affected by climate-change-induced water scarcity, requiring water to be drawn from sources as far as 34 kilometres away from the shared Mbuluzi River.
The project addresses this challenge through the construction of pipelines, reservoirs, pumping stations, and bulk water distribution points.
Once completed, the LoNa project is expected to significantly improve water security, strengthen cross-border cooperation, and positively transform the lives of thousands of residents in both Lomahasha and Namaacha.
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(Courtesy Pic)
