Nimba County

We are back in Sanniquellie for a site visit with potential bidders on our small water yards.  This project is a first phase that we will construct while we finalize preparations for the large Capital Improvement Projects or the rehabilitation and expansion of the old non-function water treatment plants.  We are here in Nimba County, six to seven hours drive from Monrovia. The Chinese continue to pave portions of the roadway and the travel time is being trimmed slightly.  There still remain lengthy portions of pot hole ridden and damaged paved sections.  The potential bidders are local construction companies and that sums up the challenges that we will encounter with quality and schedule once the award is made to one of these companies.  Nothing new or unexpected, been down this road before.  Out here we 'get-er done' with little.

While in Sanniquellie, we stopped at the old water treatment plant.

The late 1970's German built water treatment plants now only on concrete shell.  All metal pillaged during the wars. We will use the shell of the building as well as build an expansion in order to provide an adequate and sustainable system.  Sustainable is the buzz word, capacity building is hitched to Sustainability.  I often wonder how one does capacity building when there is no (or very limited) capacity to build upon.  There is a saying that says "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".  There are times when it seems you need to force feed (drink) a horse water, grab it around the neck, fill it's mouth with water and make it swallow.  

The former elevated water tank in town, this will be part of our rehabilitation. The water, once treated at the new plant, will be pumped to this elevation and flow to through the new distribution pipeline. This project is still months away from shovel in the ground.  Its start date buried below approvals and bureaucracy.  

Young girl carrying a baby at the river intake, washing clothes.

There is power in Sanniquellie, an extension of a power line has come from neighbouring Ivory Coast. This is called the West Africa Power Pool.  Talking to Bob (name changed for this post), in Sanniquellie, he states that he has connected to the power line and has been paying his bills on time.  The problem however is the Liberian Electric Company to whom he pays the bills, hasn't been paying the owner of the power line and now West Africa Power Pool is threatening to flip the switch on Liberia and turn off the power unless they pay the bill. Bob says that he met with the EU representatives during the implementation of the project and he claims the 'after construction' planning was poorly conceived. For example, there was poor training and preparations on who will operate and manage the new electric utility.

Remaining part of the trip in next posting...