Democratic Republic of the Congo, July 29 (Local Time) — The Kamina Water Treatment Plant, invested in by Sicomines SA, a company under China Railway Resources Group Co., Ltd., and constructed by China Railway No.8 Engineering Group Co., Ltd., officially commenced operation. The commissioning of the project marks a significant milestone in the development of drinking water infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and represents another important achievement in practical cooperation between China and the DRC that directly benefits local communities.
As a flagship public welfare project under the comprehensive China–DRC cooperation framework, the plant has a daily water supply capacity of more than 7,000 cubic metres. It will provide a stable supply of clean drinking water that meets local health standards for residents of Kamina and surrounding towns and villages, effectively meeting the area's daily water demand.
Prior to the implementation of the project, Kamina faced severe water shortages due to inadequate water infrastructure. The existing aging water plant supplied only 400 cubic metres of water per day, while daily demand exceeded 7,000 cubic metres, leaving a substantial supply gap. Aging pipelines and deteriorated water towers further undermined the reliability of the water supply, forcing many residents to rely on untreated surface water and exposing them to significant health risks.
The completion and operation of the Kamina Water Treatment Plant fundamentally improves the city's water supply capacity and provides local communities with reliable access to safe drinking water.
The project was implemented in two phases. The project team from China Railway No.8 Engineering Group Co., Ltd. completed the civil works and installation of water treatment equipment to a high standard, while simultaneously constructing a 5-kilometre pressurized transmission pipeline connecting the treatment plant with the city's water distribution network. Following project handover, the project team will continue to provide on-site operation and maintenance technical support to ensure the long-term safe, stable and efficient operation of the water supply system.
