The National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) is concerned with the status of water supply and sanitation services in western province particularly in Mongu and Mwandi districts.
NWASCO has since instructed Western Water and Sewerage Company to immediately correct the situation and ensure that stalled projects earmarked for water improvement are completed.
NWASCO Public Relations and Communications Manager Rose Tembo said the water utility has also been directed to comply with the approved tariff for new connections and standardize format for complaints register to include resolution dates and complaints numbers among other instructions.
Ms Tembo said NWASCO just concluded a detailed inspection of western province to monitor compliance to licence conditions, Service Level guarantees as well as application of the tariff in a bid to protect customers.
She said the inspections undertaken from 16th to 21st August 2015 revealed that since January 2015, there has been a significant drop in hours of supply in Mwandi from 24 hours to 9 hours per day after a newly constructed overhead tank with a capacity of 441 cubic meters erupted.
Ms. Tembo said the drop in hours of supply has forced residents to use alternative water sources which do not guarantee the quality thereby posing a risk to public health.
The tank which was commissioned towards the end of 2013 was supplied by Savannah and erected by Best Brand which was a sub – contractor of African Brothers Corporation.
“It is alleged that the failure of the tank was due to the snapping of long holding bolts on top along the welds. The erupted tank caused damage to the western water and sewerage company office block which was constructed right next to it,” Mrs Tembo noted.
“This is the third tank that has collapsed after the two tanks collapsed in Luapula province last year. NWASCO regrets the continued collapse of newly constructed tanks and has called for comprehensive supervision of projects by Water Utilities.”
Meanwhile, a number of collapsed boreholes in Mongu have impacted on water supply with some areas like St Johns receiving only 2 hours per day.
Ms Tembo said customers have requested for a surface water source which would be more reliable than ground water.
She however said the Mandaga Project in Mongu funded by the Devolution Trust Fund (DTF) earmarked for the improvement of water supply has been completed.
“The Project worth K1.7 Million kwacha was completed in May 2015 and awaits certification of works before commissioning. Delayed completion of projects in various districts has denied consumers to access clean water,” she said.
“Further, power outages and low voltage in the province ranging from 5 to 8 hours per day have adversely affected water supply. Western Water and Sewerage Company is the 9th water utility to be inspected this year. Lusaka and North-western water and sewerage companies will be inspected next month to ascertain compliance to guidelines and standards.”
PLENTY OF WATER IS UNDERGROUND IN ZAMBIA. PROBLEM ZAMBIA HAS IS THINKING AND LIVING WITHIN THE BOX ON THE PART OF TECHNOCRATS, POLITICAL LEADERS, AND ENGINEERS. BOTSWANA IS A COMPLETE DESERT BUT HAS NEVER HAD WATER OR POWER PROBLEMS AND ALMOST WHOLE THE POPULATION ENJOY ELECTRICITY, AND EVERYONE ENJOYS TAP WATER. ZAMBIA WITH MORE THAN 40% OF THE LION’S SHARE OF WATER IN THE SOUTHERN REGION HAS GOT NO FLASHED TOILETS NEITHER DO WE HAVE ELECTRICITY TO EVEN WRITE A BOOK ABOUT.
Both Mongu and Mwandi are right on the Zambezi River one of Africa’s largest and longest rivers yet we have water supply issues is Zambia cursed or what? maybe we should have waited for 2014 to get independence because we seem to be sooooo useless when is comes to doing the right thing even with the most basic of basic things.
Zambia is a major loss. I am glad that housing developments have started to erect their own water supply systems. This is the beginning of the end for a lot of these useless water companies that are just continuing to get paid without carrying out their respective mandates. Pathetic.
I have a solution to all this low water problem. The PF should through Chishimba kambwili Inactive a law obliging all those drunkards I see peeing in the streets at night to direct their instruments into the Zambezi and all rivers in Zambia to boost up the water level. No more using toilets. Powercut will be a thing of the past.kikikikiki….enjoy your weekend guys.
How about using that pee to mix concrete to repair your failing dams? Why do you always look to secondary causes? Haven’t you heard about the ailing Kariba Dam walls?