In a major step towards improving water access for the growing population of the Western Area, the Guma Valley Water Company has announced the construction of nine new raw water reservoirs with a total capacity of 132 million litres at Babadorie in Regent.

The project, which forms part of the broader Water Supply and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project (WASHAERP), was unveiled during a two-day oversight mission by the Guma board of directors recently.

The massive infrastructure initiative is being hailed as a game-changer for water security in Freetown and surrounding communities. With the Western Area's water demand having tripled since the 1960s, Guma officials say the new reservoirs are essential to meeting both current needs and future growth.

Speaking during the site tour, Board Chairman David Karim Fonnie emphasized the importance of the project and the Board's commitment to holding contractors accountable.

'This 132-million-litre development is one of the largest water storage efforts ever undertaken in this region,' said Fonnie. 'It marks a bold step in addressing decades-old supply challenges. We are not just relying on reports—we are here to see progress for ourselves.'

The Babadorie reservoirs are part of a network of interconnected projects under WASHAERP, aimed at increasing access to safe and reliable water across the Western Area. The Board's recent oversight mission also included inspections at the Kongo Dam, Allen Town Reservoir, and ongoing pipe-laying sites, underscoring Guma's hands-on approach to project delivery.

In addition to the Babadorie reservoirs, major infrastructure works are underway across the region:

• Repair and rehabilitation of existing weirs and dams, including Kongo, Tacuyama, and Sugar Loaf.
• Construction of new weirs at Mortem and Mongegba to boost raw water flow.
• Upgrades to the Allen Town Water Treatment Plant, expanding treatment capacity.
• Laying of transmission pipelines from collection points to treatment facilities.
• Construction of community pipelines to serve public water kiosks in Mortem and Mongegba.
• Development of booster pumping stations at Wilberforce and Kissy to improve pressure in hilly areas.
• Rehabilitation of six reservoirs in key urban and peri-urban locations.
• Installation of 45 km of distribution pipelines in Hill Station, Allen Town, and Mambo.
• Officials say all project components are expected to be completed by end of 2025.

The Board's oversight visit brought together a cross-section of stakeholders, including contractors such as Hamosan Construction, Brunnenbau Conrad SL (BBC), KOFA Construction, and CHICO, along with the supervising consultants from 3BMD Associate Consulting Engineers.

Fonnie stressed that the Board's involvement is driven by a strong sense of public duty: 'A contractor is only a true partner if they deliver results. These facilities belong to the people, and we have an obligation to make sure the systems we are building today can serve generations to come.'

As the dry season stretches longer and urban growth accelerates, Guma's investment in large-scale storage—such as the Babadorie reservoirs—represents a crucial foundation for long-term water resilience in Sierra Leone's capital.