Mbabane- Eswatini has taken another step towards achieving universal access to safe drinking water following the commissioning of the E6 million Bulekeni Water Supply Scheme, a project expected to improve water security for 289 homesteads in the Shiselweni Region.
The hybrid solar-powered scheme was officially commissioned on Friday by the Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, alongside Lesotho’s Minister of Natural Resources, Mohlomi Moleko, who led a high-level delegation visiting the country to exchange knowledge on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives.
The project, implemented under Zombodze Inkhundla in the Shiselweni region, forms part of a broader partnership between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy and World Vision Eswatini aimed at expanding access to potable water across 18 Tinkhundla between 2025 and 2029.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, HRH Prince Lonkhokhela said the project demonstrates government’s commitment to ensuring that every Liswati has access to clean and safe drinking water, a key component of national development and public health.
The minister noted that access to reliable water infrastructure remains critical for improving living conditions, reducing poverty and supporting economic activities in rural communities.
Completed within six months, from August 2025 to January 2026, the Bulekeni Water Supply Scheme uses hybrid solar technology to provide a sustainable and cost-effective solution for water delivery. The project is expected to significantly reduce the burden on households, particularly women and children who often travel long distances to collect water.
The commissioning comes as Eswatini intensifies efforts to increase national access to potable water to 90 percent within the next five years. The Bulekeni scheme builds on the partnership launched in July 2025 at the Tfutfukani Water Scheme under Mhlangatane Inkhundla and represents another milestone in the country’s water infrastructure expansion programme.
The Minister highlighted the importance of partnerships with organizations such as World Vision Eswatini, the Eswatini Water Services Corporation, financial institutions and local communities in accelerating delivery of critical infrastructure projects.
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