Beeplay, Nimba County: Thousands of residents in Buu-Yao Statutory Electoral District #5, Nimba County, are expected to gain access to safe drinking water following the launch of a US$7.1 million Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project by Living Water International (LWI) Liberia.
The six-year project, running until 2031, will benefit more than 100,000 people in 58 communities. It includes the construction of 160 new boreholes, rehabilitation of 60 broken water systems, installation of climate-resilient facilities for larger communities, and hygiene and sanitation education.
Buu-Yao, located in lower Nimba, has long struggled with poor infrastructure and limited access to safe drinking water.
Deputy Minister for Rural Development at the Ministry of Public Works, Jocelia Taplah, who launched the project, urged residents to take ownership.
“US$7.1 million in six years is no joke. Living Water has committed to building 160 new pumps and rehabilitating 60 others, but sustainability depends on you. Too often, facilities are abandoned once constructed. Clean water is life, and this project must not fail because of neglect,” she warned.
LWI Liberia Country Director, Pastor Austin Nyaplue, said the project seeks not only to provide clean water but also to transform sanitation practices.
“Our baseline survey revealed that only 35% of residents currently have access to improved water, while 95% of existing sources are unsafe. This project is designed to change that reality,” Nyaplue stated, adding that the initiative is supported by global donations from churches, individuals, and partners.
Nimba County Administrative Officer, Daniel Zekpeh, described the project as a timely intervention. “For seven years, Buu-Yao has not benefited from any WASH project. Most of our communities have no hand pumps, and the few available are non-functional. Our children and mothers face serious risks, including long walks for unsafe water, drowning, rape, and frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases like diarrhea,” he explained.
Unity Party Chairman Rev. J. Luther Tarpeh, a member of LWI’s Advisory Council, praised the project as life-saving but reminded residents that sustainability rests on them.
“NGOs will not always be here. It is your responsibility to sustain these facilities, own them, and protect them,” he cautioned.
Other speakers included Rev. Joe Wallace, representing the Christian community, called the initiative an answer to prayer, and Superintendent Sabato Nuah of Zogeh Statutory District, urged citizens to serve as watchdogs over materials to ensure accountability.
The launch in Wea Beeplay brought together officials from the Ministry of Public Works, the WASH Commission, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Nimba County Health Team, local leaders, educators, and church representatives.
By the end of the project in 2031, Living Water International says it hopes to end Buu-Yao’s long struggle with unsafe water and poor sanitation.
Written By: P Uriah Suah/suahuriah86@gmail.com
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