By Yamikani Yapuwa

Blantyre, July 24, 2023: Blantyre Water Board (BWB) on Monday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of Malawi (UNIMA) where the board would be using UNIMA’s laboratories for water testing with the latter sending chemistry students for internship.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Blantyre, BWB Chief Executive (CEO), Dr Robert Hanjahanja said the MOU provides an opportunity for them to verify the quality of BWB’s water through the school laboratories.

“The water that we treat and supply in the city of Blantyre complies with Water Organization standards as well as Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) with above 95 percent compliance and we are always confident with the water that we distribute.

“It is good practice for a third party to have a look at what you are doing and just to make sure that what you are saying and committing to the public is indeed very viable and true.

“We will have access to UNIMA’s chemistry laboratory so that if there are any tests that we want to do but we do not have the facilities, we can take advantage of the fact that they have a state of art laboratory,” he said.

Hanjahanja added that UNIMA would help them with second opinion in case there are any queries from customers as well as issues that have risen from MBS.

“If there is any research or issues we are uncertain of and we want extra knowledge, we have access to the university so that they can advise or share information,” he added.

The CEO said that the partnership would grant the Board an opportunity to give back to the community as they would be taking in Chemistry students from UNIMA to work with the board as attachés.

“It is an opportunity to allow students from UNIMA to come to BWB, learn from us and share their knowledge. We strongly believe that young people have ability to innovate and think differently so we are looking forward to learn from them.

“BWB intend to identify and support high performing girls studying sciences at UNIMA. We will support them with fees as well as open the doors for them to come and work with the institution after they have finished their education,” Hanjahanja added.

UNIMA’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, Dr Sunduzwayo Madise said the institution was very prepared to implement the MoU with BWB as it already has the expertise, the highly sophisticated chemistry and chemical engineering laboratory as well as students who are eager to learn and offer insights.

“For us it is good because one of the things we do in the university apart from teaching is research and community outreach, meaning that whatever we do must have an impact on the community.

“We know that BWB provides portable water to residents of Blantyre and surrounding areas therefore this partnership can help us to ensure that they provide good, clean and high quality water that is benefiting the country.

“What it will mean is that the residents of Blantyre and the country at large will be more satisfied that the water they are drinking is safe and of high quality because us as an independent institution will do research, water analysis and we will be able to tell BWB if there are issues they need to address,” he said.

Madise said the experience that students would get while doing internship at BWB would go a long way in giving them specialized training to enable them have experience when they go and start working wherever they want.