The Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection has launched three statutory Instruments on groundwater and boreholes, Licensing of drillers and the revised raw water fees and charges.
Minister of Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection Dennis Wanchinga said the Statutory Instruments will ensure the regulation of drilling and adherence to laid down standards pertaining to utilization of water sources.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Wanchinga stated that the SI on raw water prices is meant to ensure that the ministry provides efficient and effective management of water resources across all sectors.
He said the process of arriving at the new water tariffs and charges underwent wide stakeholder consultations with farmers, industries and the mining companies.
Mr. Wanchinga explained that the Statutory Instruments launched recognized fundamentals such as the identification of underground water as a public good being confined to surface water.
He also stated that the quality of water will be improved as the boreholes drilled will have value placed on them as it is a commodity.
Mr. Wanchinga further added that, the move will bring on board the need to license drillers as there has been public outcry on the lack of proper supervision among the drillers.
He said the issuance of the regulations marked a milestone in government’s resolve to achieve maximum benefits through efficient and effective utilization of water resources.
Mr. Wanchinga appealed to the business community for maximum cooperation in adherence to the standards set out in the Statutory Instruments in order for the country to accelerate the attainment of the country’s vision 2030 of ensuring 100 percent access to water.
And speaking at the same event, Drillers Association of Zambia Board Secretary Christopher Chilongo said the Statutory Instruments will bring sanity to the way drilling of boreholes is being undertaken in the country.
Mr. Chilongo stated that the move will contribute in promoting professionalism among drillers hence, bringing value to the coordination of the entire process.
With the poor and scandalous services by our water utility companies, don’t expect people not to have their own source of water. Since Masebo passed that law which protects utility companies from litigation, services are like you don’t pay for them. ..it’s like we get water or power for free.
Most people only use this water for other purposes apart from drinking as they have to buy drinking water..now they will be charged by your PF.
WHAT NONSENSE IS THIS?
WE BUY MINERAL WATER BECAUSE WATER UTILITIES SUPPLY UNSAFE WATER AND NOW WE SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR TRYING TO REDUCE THE UNTENABLE WATER BILLS !!
WHERE IS MY MP?
This ka Gerontology patient (Problems associated with old age) has lost it , no wonder he was moved from General education as nothing tangible improved his job was just announcing examination results. Water resources are a gift from God , we pay through the cost of drilling and prospecting ,electricity bill to run the pumps , why should we pay for the commodity itself again? BRING BACK HON.KAZIYA SINCE HE WENT BACK TO MATERO RITUAL MURDERS HAVE INCREASED
More money in your pockets …Rent tax, they will tax you left right and centre use the same monies to procure overpriced Mercedes Ambulances that cost $70K in Europe for $280K….reckless incompetent foools
If they are not looking for a loan they are looking for ways to tax people even a normal straight road can be turned into a tollgate overnight….really laughable these empty tins.
Hon. Wanchinga did you consult Chiefs?
If I remember well, previous administrations considered taxing borehole drillers and owners but decided against it mostly on grounds that the service levels that were being provided by water utility companies were not up to scratch. Besides
…besides, these so called water utilities cover less than 40% of human settlements.
This government will do anything to get money from their citizens… anything apart from growing the economy!!!!! Damn!!!!!
Just Dununa Zambians!
More money in your pockets = more taxes extracted from your docile pockets, to balance 42 Wheelbarrow, & ambulance scams.
MW@NYA!!
Just wondering….. with new taxes being rolled at this rate, could there be a covert policy to turn every government department into a revenue centre?
Yes, yes this is nothing to do with looking after water sources but rather just clueless lungu and pf hitting the citizens hard with taxes….creating jobs they have failed.
If PF cared about the water sources they would be checking and doing something about the polluting the water table with pit latrines everywhere….
Ba PF someone puts up a borehole for k15,000 and on top of that you want them to pay your levies, for what? Is the water underground yours as well?
Then let Govt put up the same boreholes them will be glad to pay.
The only solution is to reduce govt size and reduce useless allowances given to the so called elected servants.
Thieves.
Ba pf fyonse kulyamo. Withholding tax, borehole levy, t.v levy, garbage levy on top of the already existing taxes. I wonder what Will be left of our mega salaries
We Africans are a disgrace to ourselves. The government has failed to make our taps run 24/7 and now you turn to regulate boreholes. Our people are misguided by these incompetent leaders who’s stock in trade is looting. Concentrate on providing basic services. How can you have a country whose citizens provide their own water? It’s rubbish.
I encourage all Zambians to protest and chuck this government out. The country is ours, we have been taken for granted for far too long. Enough is enough!
This is the most incompetent govt we have ever had always looking for ways to tax, they do not even know what a toll road is imagine someone who stays where a Toll gate located paying at discounted fee… a toll road is an alternative route.
They never talk about reducing spending ..always doing the opposite and misappropriating funds.
This is wrong! Water belongs to God how dare anyone put a price on ground water? Water provided as a utility yes can be charged but not water which you obtain by way of your own hard work from your own piece of land.
Where are we going as a nation? We only seem to be copying the repressive laws from developed nations but the good laws such as community service for minor offenders we choose to ignore! May God deal accordingly with those causing such an injustice!
Let them also charge villagers with wells in the rural areas.
This is suffocation of the working few. Build manufacturing industries and not new districts.
It’s like very soon even to draw water from a stream or river, someone will have to pay a levy. People, where are going?
Our dear President, intervene in this borehole issue. These were not drilled or dug free. It was from someone’s sweat that he/she had to use this initiative
What are our MPs doing in this building? Who are they representing, human beings or….,?