The government is planning to make a water pipe installed into the Sinamalé bridge 5 years ago, operational to ensure water security in the Malé region.
The government of Maldives has decided to put the water pipe connecting Malé, Hulhulé and Hulhumalé via the Sinamalé bridge to be made operational by the end of this year.
The pipe, which was installed into the bridge over five years ago to supply water between the wards of the Malé region has been unused since its initial installation. However, the government is now in the process of establishing a pump station system to allow water to be supplied via the pipe.
Speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office yesterday, Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim said that the pipe, although laid to ensure water security in the region, was never used in the past five years. He also detailed that the pipe’s ends were not connected to the water grid.
As such, they are now working to connect the pipe to the Maldives Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC)’s Hulhumalé pump station, and the Malé pump station, Thoriq also said.
”The government has decided to make the pipe one that can always supply, and pump water,” he added.
According to Thoriq, the pump will be made operational by the end of this year.
”What happens when this work is done? When this work is done, water security in Malé will be further enhanced. If more water is required in Malé, water will be pumped to Malé from Hulhumalé. [A]nd water can also be pumped from Malé to Hulhumalé as well,” he explained.
Apart from Malé and Hulhumalé, major water storages have also been established in Villimalé, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi.
The water pipe installed into the Sinamalé Bridge cost the government about USD 200,000.
Last July, MWSC, which supplies water within the Malé region, said that they had started working on making the water pipe operational. The company said that the pipe would be able to supply about 800 tones of water in an hour between Malé and Hulhumalé.