Democratic Republic of Congo's state water utility, Regideso, plans to launch a bottled water production plant in Kinshasa.

Speaking on Top Congo radio on March 4, 2026, Director General David Tshilumba Mutombo said the company is preparing a tender for the project.

According to him, construction of the plant could begin within three to four months. The project will include a bottle recycling system designed to collect used packaging across the city of Kinshasa. In the longer term, Regideso plans to replicate the model in several cities across the country.

The public utility also plans to develop payment service provider (PSP) technology. Tshilumba said the activity could become an additional revenue stream for the company. Regideso has also created a subsidiary dedicated to electricity production, RégiEnergies.

These initiatives form part of a diversification strategy aimed at reducing the company's financial dependence on payments from the State, which Tshilumba described as a "bad payer."

"When the State does not pay, it disrupts our business plan, our annual budget and our performance," he said, noting that government payments can sometimes be delayed by 10 to 12 months.

To better manage water consumption by public institutions, Regideso also plans to install smart meters, mostly prepaid. The company is awaiting the delivery of 80,000 to 90,000 units within three to four months.

These meters will be installed mainly in government offices and at certain institutional clients. The system will operate on a prepaid basis, meaning access to water will depend on the credit available on the meter.

"As with a telephone: if there are no units, the meter does not work. No units, no water," Tshilumba said.

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