Angolan Minister of Energy and Water João Baptista Borges has opened a water treatment plant in the western Angolan province of Malanje, Angop reports.

The Angolan state-run news agency says Chinese lending helped pay for the waterworks, which cost 156 million kwanzas (about US$308,100) and took three years to build.

The report says the waterworks can treat 50 cubic metres of water an hour, and will supply almost 7,000 households in the city of Massango.

Three other water treatment plants are being built in Malanje, the report quotes Mr Baptista Borges as saying.

A supply of clean drinking water will prevent disease and so cut spending on healthcare, Angop quotes the minister as saying.