This is the construction site of the water intake pump station for the Girongo water supply project, taken on August 22 in Luanda, the capital of Angola (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
Luanda, September 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese enterprises undertake Angola’s water supply project to solve the capital’s water crisis
Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Jie
At the construction site of the Girongo water supply project in the eastern part of Luanda, the capital of Angola, workers are busy in a tense and orderly manner. Safety technician Figueira Carenga shuttles through the construction site, carefully inspecting the safety helmets, safety belts, and other protective equipment of the workers.
Karenga has been involved in multiple projects of China Electric Power Construction since 2017, gradually growing from a steel reinforcement worker to a safety technician, currently responsible for safety management at construction sites. He told reporters, “I am proud to participate in this project that benefits people’s livelihoods. The project not only brings job opportunities to many Angolans, but also benefits more residents after completion
Luanda has been suffering from long-term water shortage, which is particularly prominent due to factors such as climate drought, aging water supply facilities, and insufficient processing and distribution capacity. Antonio da Costa, Secretary of State for Water Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Angola, stated at the project site that the current water supply gap in Luanda is still as high as 50%, and some areas can only provide intermittent water supply every two to three days.
Zhang Qiang, the person in charge of the Girongo Water Supply Project, introduced that the project is a key livelihood project undertaken by China Electric Power Construction in Angola. It mainly includes a water intake pump station with a daily water intake capacity of 570000 tons, a 12.5-kilometer raw water pipeline, a water treatment plant with a daily processing capacity of 500000 tons, and five water distribution centers. The project is steadily progressing according to plan, and upon completion, it will significantly alleviate the long-standing water supply shortage in the eastern part of Luanda.
The water intake pump station is the core project of the Girongo Water Supply Project and the “front line” for water intake from the Kuanza River. The pump station is located adjacent to the river bank in a marshy area, with a deep and muddy soil layer up to 35 meters thick. The construction conditions are complex, and the construction of a 17 meter deep foundation pit poses extremely high safety requirements, posing challenges to the engineering team.
Zhang Peng, the chief engineer of the Jilongge Water Supply Project, said, “After multiple rounds of research, the project team adopted four pile foundation combinations of cast-in-place piles, high-pressure jet grouting piles, anti pull piles, and gravel piles for foundation treatment and deep foundation pit support technology. After 7 months, a total of 3245 pile foundation constructions were completed, effectively solving the problems of insufficient foundation bearing capacity and safe support of deep foundation pits, laying a solid foundation for the construction of the main structure
During the project promotion process, in response to the differences in policies, regulations, standards, and specifications between China and Angola, the project team conducted in-depth research on local policies, established a system of integration, and ensured that the project was legally, compliantly, and efficiently promoted. At the same time, cultural exchange activities are organized, language training courses are offered, and senior engineers with Chinese study abroad experience are hired to promote understanding and mutual trust among employees from different cultural backgrounds, creating an efficient and smooth cooperation atmosphere.
Elmano Adriano, the administrative director of the Bangjesus region where the project is located, stated that while promoting high-quality project construction, China Power Construction actively fulfills its social responsibility. It has implemented public welfare projects in Bangjesus and surrounding communities, including the construction of drinking water systems, installation of power networks, and land leveling infrastructure improvement projects. It has also supported multiple community public welfare actions, directly benefiting thousands of residents and playing an important role in increasing local household income, improving people’s livelihoods, and reducing poverty.
The Girongo water supply project will significantly improve the capital’s water supply and basically fill the gap. We are confident that after the completion of the project in 2026, it will greatly alleviate the water supply problem in Luanda, “said da Costa.
On August 22nd, workers were working at the construction site of the Girongo water supply project located in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
This is the construction site of the water intake pump station for the Girongo water supply project, taken on August 22 in Luanda, the capital of Angola (drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
This is a drone photo taken on August 22 at the pipeline construction site of the Girongo water supply project in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
On August 22nd, workers were working at the construction site of the Girongo water supply project located in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen
This is a drone photo taken on August 22 at the construction site of the Girongo water supply project in Luanda, the capital of Angola. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen