Communities across Eswatini’s Manzini Region are approaching the end of a decades-long struggle for reliable water access as the Manzini Region Water Supply and Sanitation Project nears completion, according to a press release by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). Launched in March 2024 by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini with financing from the African Development Bank Group, the initiative is now 92% complete. Once operational later this year, it will deliver clean, reliable water services to approximately 35,000 people across Nhlambeni, Manzini South, Mthongwaneni, Mafutseni, and Manzini North. The project supports Eswatini’s broader goal of achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030. It marks a turning point for families whose daily lives have long been shaped by water scarcity.
For generations, residents of the Manzini Region have relied on long treks to rivers and seasonal springs, rainwater harvesting, water tankers, and late-night borehole access. In some areas, families have shared water sources with livestock, creating daily compromises between necessity and health. Access to at least basic drinking water services in Eswatini stands at 80.4 percent, while safely managed drinking water services reach only 38.2 percent. Basic sanitation services cover 64.5 percent of the population, compared with 60.8 percent for safely managed sanitation services. These figures underscore why the Manzini expansion is considered critical to bridging the country’s service gap.
The project includes a modern water treatment plant with a capacity of 25 million litres per day, supported by transmission mains and reservoirs capable of storing 21 million litres. Crews are laying more than 350 kilometres of distribution networks, along with up to 14 water kiosks and 20 public sanitation facilities to bring clean water closer to communities. Water supply hours have already been extended, and pressure has surged across several neighbourhoods due to interconnections bridging the old and new networks. During an African Development Bank Group supervision mission in May 2026, residents in Mafutseni described the high cost of purchasing water from tankers that sometimes arrive only once a week. Others recounted the gruelling hours spent collecting water from distant sources and the burden placed on elderly family members.
Community leaders have voiced strong anticipation for the project’s launch.
“We are looking forward to water flowing through our taps 24 hours a day. It has been a long and emotional wait for our community,” said Jabulile Dlamini, an Inner Council Member from Khamatho Chiefdom under Mafutseni Inkhundla. Simon Mtsetfwa, another Inner Council Member of Mafutseni Inkhundla, echoed the sentiment, saying, “We are looking forward to having fresh and healthy water.”
Residents welcomed the installation of prepaid meters, recognising their potential to help households manage water consumption efficiently. They also lauded the construction of water kiosks and sanitation facilities, whose locations were selected in consultation with the community.
Community members expressed confidence that the project will improve health and quality of life, reduce household water expenditure, and create opportunities for small-scale gardening. The Eswatini Water Services Corporation will continue to partner with communities to ensure the facilities remain secure and operational. For families across the project footprint, the completion represents far more than new infrastructure. It promises relief from daily hardship, improved health and dignity, and the opportunity to build a more secure future. For many families across the Manzini Region, the long journey to water is finally nearing its end.
