State Gives Lusaka Water K8.1 Billion

16 June 2011

THE Government has released K8.1 billion funding to Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) for the improvement of water supply and sanitation provision to four peri-urban areas.

And the LWSC has bought 40 prepaid bulk meters from Elster Kent Metering of South Africa for a pilot installation project at water kiosks in selected peri-urban townships.

In a statement released by LWSC public relations manager Simon Mwale in Lusaka yesterday, the money was released to cover the current gap in service levels to Bauleni, Ng’ombe, Tiyende Pamodzi townships and Shikabeta Village.

Mr Mwale said the funding was meant for the development of new water sources and water reticulation and storage facilities in the areas.

“The unserviced target population of the four peri-urban areas is approximately 60,500 with water demand approximately 180,000 cubic meters per month. This demand needs to be met with investments into water resource developments and network extensions,” he said.

Mr Mwale said even though there were water supply networks existing in all the four areas, the infrastructure was too old to service current and future demands.

The infrastructure was, therefore, in need of complete overhaul and extension and selection of interventions to be undertaken in the four areas was based on interventions that would contribute towards improving the quality and quantity of water supplied and reduce water loses which would in turn enhance LWSC’s financial viability through reduction of operational costs.

Using the same funds, LWSC proposed to develop five new boreholes, two each in Bauleni and Ng’ombe, one in Shikabeta Village and construct 1.5 kilometres of delivery pipe line from the source and 4.5 kilometres of network extension to un-serviced areas of Bauleni.

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