Augusto Chipenembe urged Mozambique to continue investing in the Water Revolving Fund to help low-income households afford water connections [1].
Expanding access to clean water is a critical public health and infrastructure priority for the nation. By removing the barrier of upfront costs, the fund allows the most vulnerable populations to integrate into the formal water system.
Chipenembe, the chairperson of Mozambique's public water company, AdeM, spoke on the matter on Aug. 10 [1]. He said the fund is essential because it enables households to pay for their water connections through installments [1]. This financial mechanism ensures that poverty does not prevent citizens from accessing basic utility services.
The Water Revolving Fund operates by providing the initial capital needed for connection infrastructure, which is then repaid by the users over time [2]. This cycle allows the government to reuse the same capital to connect more homes across the country.
Efforts to maintain the fund are part of a broader strategy to increase the reach of AdeM in Maputo and beyond [1]. The focus remains on ensuring that the cost of entry into the water network does not exclude low-income families from essential services [2].
Continued investment in the fund is seen as a primary driver for increasing the percentage of the population with direct access to piped water [1]. Without these installment options, many households would remain reliant on unregulated or unsafe water sources [2].
“The fund allows low-income households to afford water connections through installment payments.”
The reliance on a revolving fund indicates that Mozambique is utilizing a sustainable financing model to bridge the infrastructure gap for its poorest citizens. By shifting from a lump-sum payment model to an installment-based system, the government can scale utility access without requiring massive, one-time subsidies for every new household connection.
