Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has attributed the provision of poor quality of water by water utilities countrywide to poor regulatory and institutional framework arising from Government’s failure to enact drinking water quality guidelines and standards.
Reacting to recent reports of poor water quality supplied by water utility companies in Lusaka, Copperbelt and Midlands, Mr. Sinkamba bemoaned continued absence of drinking water quality guidelines and standards in Zambia which he says has resulted in water borne diseases such as cholera and dysentery being endemic in the country.
“As the Green Party, we are extremely worried with the status quo where the country lacks an institutional and legal framework to provide adequate oversight on provision of quality water and sanitation services in the country,” Mr. Sinkamba said.
“You know, following the launch of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, Member States of the UN, especially those of us in the developing countries category were supposed to develop and enact guidelines for provision of quality water and sanitation services because these aspects were some of the goals intended to be achieved by 2015. However, as Zambia we have failed to do 18 years on, and this is very depressing to some of us,” he said.
Speaking in Kitwe this morning, Mr. Sinkamba said that at the moment, there are two pieces of legislation which were enacted in the 1990s but neither addresses drinking water quality guidelines and standards as well as sanitation.
“First of all we have the Waste Water Regulations of 1994 which are enforced through ZEMA. The focus for these regulations is to control pollution of surface and groundwater systems. So ZEMA provides permits for discharge of effluents and wastewater in accordance with these regulations but these are not drinking water quality standards but pollution standards,” Mr. Sinkamba said.
“Secondly, we have the Water Supply and Sanitation Act of 1997 which establishes NWASCO. Thought the Act empowers NWASCO to establish and enforce water supply and sanitation services, including establishing and enforcing drinking water quality standards and guidelines, this institution has failed to do so in the last 10 years or so. Sadly, the focus for NWASCO is merely issuance of licences to utilities and approval of exorbitant tariffs and other exploitative charges. And this is our point of departure,” he said.
And Mr. Sinkamba says the current institutional and legal framework for provision of water and sanitation services in Zambia is archaic and requires a complete overhaul to safeguard lives of the people.
“The burden of disease in the country is very high. Our hospitals are overwhelmed. They are failing to provide quality services due to limited capacity. Therefore, as a way forward, there is urgent need to be proactive so that we avoid certain preventable disease outbreaks such as cholera and dysentery which result from poor water quality and sanitation.
“Government needs to overhaul the archaic institutional and regulatory framework for water supply and sanitations so as to sanitize the entire system. There is need for sanity in the provision of these services. NWASCO, ZEMA, and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission should all be overhauled so as to safeguard and protect consumers against unhealthy and unfair trade practices in the provision of water and sanitation services.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sinkamba says if Government fails to make serious moves to modernize the regulatory and institutional framework in the water supply and sanitation sector, his party will have no option but move a private member’s motion in parliament sometime this year with a view to sanitize the situation .
“The primary role of Government is to address causes not effects.If Government fails to do so in the first sitting of parliament this year, we will have no choice but move a private member’ s motion in parliament to enact the measures intended to bring sanity in this regard. We think that 10 years of insanity in the sector is enough,” he said.
What do these people do in their offices?
They sip coffee, scratch their balls, view facebook messages, politic and go back home.
It is so appalling. I remember a spokesperson for Nkana Water on TV without shame advising Copperbelt University staff and students to drink the water even if it looked dirty claiming it was safe.
I totally agree, the water supply and sanitation system needs a total overhaul
Peter should have joined the opposition alliance, look how Sean Tembo has become relevant.
Writing revelations won’t help Zambia.
When we say there is no leadership in Zambia this is what we mean…these are issues that need to tabled urgently or have been sidelined or ignored…unfortunately the average voter can not vote for the likes of Sinkamba because he can not afford Chibuku and textiles for all.
I am not surprised LWSC management still have jobs because we have an institutional failure…the whole system has been hijacked by cadres.
Just say funds that should be invested to provide essential services, water and sanitation included , are been stolen for personal use. There is no law and institutions in Zambia, everything is decided by a president who wormed his way to power.
Sinkamba is right ,there’s absolutely no work ethic no accountability and no zeal to make a difference .These lethargic dudes occupy offices simply to make a living.
“….“Secondly, we have the Water Supply and Sanitation Act of 1997 which establishes NWASCO. Thought the Act empowers NWASCO to establish and enforce water supply and sanitation services, including establishing and enforcing drinking water quality …”
Ask any one from lungus gang what this means, lusambo, Sampa etc ….they will tell you , they think it is about borrowing money from China….
The cornerstone the builders overlooked has hit the nail again but are they listening or busy lining up their pockets with state money
Unfortunately, LWSC is owed huge millions by the same Government persuading the company to up its game. Chicken and egg game play at work.
Fair enough. Govt ministries owe LWSC. But then the same government grants and loans millions of Kwacha LWSC through budget allocations and external loans procured year-in-year out. So who owes who? Bottom line is that LWSC has a statutory obligation to supply quality water…though, as Sinkamba has indicated there are no statutory limits but they have World Health Orgainization limits to apply as substitute
In the 1970s when I worked for the Livingstone Municipal Council the Council’s water supply was monitored by the Council’s Health Department ensuring that enough chlorine was added to water to kill the bacteria. However things went to the dogs when chlorine became rare because of lack of forex. Has the Lusaka City Council’s Health Department stopped carrying out these chlorine tests?