Water level decline in Solwezi river, as water rationing begins in Solwezi

North-Western Water Supply and Sanitation Company has started rationing water supply to its customers in Solwezi district owing to the 8-hour long load shedding being implemented by ZESCO limited.

Company head corporate, James Phiri has told ZANIS in an interview in Solwezi that the utility company will provide other interventions such as provision of water bowsers to customers that will not be receiving water as expected.

Mr. Phiri says the company is also engaging ZESCO to see how best the treatment plants can be connected to a power line that will not be affected by power outages.

 “We will experience reduced hours of supply in most areas, especially that most of our plants are located in residential areas which are experiencing load shedding,” he said.

Mr. Phiri laments that the dry spell coupled with the increased human activities around the river will negatively affect the uptake of raw water for supply to customers.

“We are already experiencing the effects of the drought coupled with human activities around the river bank which is depleting the water in our main source for raw water,” he said.

He said the utility company is still considering the possibility of getting raw water from Mutanda river should the situation at Solwezi river get to the worst.

Mr. Phiri said a feasibility study has been done and completed and  awaits funding from the government.

Meanwhile, the dry spell that has been experienced in Solwezi district is likely to further affect the supply of water in the district due to depleting water levels in the Solwezi River.

The Solwezi river is the main source of water for North-western water supply and Sanitation Company which is also being threatened by human activities.