A new plant treats raw water from the N'djili and Lukaya rivers in the locality of Lemba-Imbu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The plant was inaugurated on 23 August 2022 by the DRC President, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, and is operated by the Water Distribution Board of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (REGIDESO).
The Water Distribution Board of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (REGIDESO) has added a new drinking water plant. The plant located in Lemba-Imbu, in the Lukunga district of Kinshasa, has been operational since 23 August 2022. The DR-Congolese president, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, inaugurated the facility, which has a capacity of 35,000 m3 of water per day, expandable to 170,000 m3 of water per day by the end of the project.
The Lemba-Imbu plant, under construction since 2019, processes water pumped from the N’djili and Lukaya rivers. When fully completed, the plant will secure the drinking water supply for the populations of several councils such as N’djili, Kimbanseke, Tshangu, the Unikin university campus, as well as part of Mont Ngafula in Kinshasa. The DR-Congolese capital is facing water shortages.
Remote management of the plant
This is the fifth water treatment plant operated by REGIDESO in Kinshasa. The other functional plants are located in the councils of N’djili, Ngaliema, Kinsuka and Lukaya. “The Lemba-Imbu plant brings some operational innovations compared to the other four existing facilities. In particular, it takes into account the critical low water level of the N’djili River. Thus, even if the river level is at its lowest, the plant will not run out of water,” says the Presidency of the Republic of the DRC.
Another special feature of the new plant is the remote management and control of all treatment compartments. The drinking water will be stored in a new reservoir, located 5 kilometres from the plant, before being distributed via a network of pipes. A special 11-kilometre power line has been drawn from the National Electricity Company (SNEL) station in Kimwenza to run the plant’s machinery.
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During the inauguration ceremony of the Lemba-Imbu drinking water plant, the President of the DRC announced the forthcoming commissioning of the sixth REGIDESO drinking water plant in Kinshasa. This is the Binza Ozone plant, with a capacity of 110,000 m3 per day.
Inès Magoum
