Zobue Border Town Water Supply and Sanitation

Overview
The Zobue Border Town Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) project will provide climate resilient water supply and sanitation to over 26,500 residents of Zobue and up to 270,000 cross-border travellers per year. It will improve health and hygiene, reduce waterborne diseases, provide economic opportunities and build resilience to climate change.
Investment request
£2.65 million of grant funding to upgrade and expand the bulk water abstraction, treatment and distribution system.
Project summary
Zobue Town is strategically located on the North–South Transport Corridor, and links with the Nacala Transport Corridor, connecting South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe to Malawi and Mozambique. The corridor development is prioritised in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Master Plan (2012–2027) and is critical to enhancing regional and international trade competitiveness in Mozambique. SADC has identified the Zobue–Mwanza border for the development of a one-stop border post (OSBP); both the town and trade flows are therefore expected to grow.
The Zobue Water Supply and Sanitation Project, and the parallel project in Mwanza, aim to promote transboundary cooperation between Mozambique and Malawi and increased climate resilience to deliver significant social and health impacts. The project will deliver economic benefits with a positive economic benefit–cost ratio. If a grant is provided for capital expenditure, revenues support operation and maintenance (O&M) for the first five years. After this, gradual tariff adjustments will be required to ensure financial sustainability. The project is part of a wider CRIDF initiative to support climate resilient WSS infrastructure at the SADC strategic border posts.
Main sponsor(s)
Water and Sanitation Infrastructures Administration (AIAS)