Erratic water supply has for the last two weeks hit several townships of Kitwe causing residents and in particular women to wake up in the hours of the morning when it is still dark to go and fetch for the commodity away from their respective homes.
The few selected households that have been fortunate to receive the rationed water, which normally start to run from the taps around 05:00 hours and only last for about an hour or two, have been characterized by scramble for the commodity by the women.
A check by the Times around Chimwemwe, which is one of the townships hit by erratic water supply found scores of women and children carrying buckets of water on their heads walking to and from the points of source of water.
Nkana Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) public relations manager Damaseke Chibale attributed the erratic water supply to rehabilitation and maintenance works being conducted on the water system.
“We have a water project for rehabilitation and maintenance currently going and so sometimes we need to shut down the water system to facilitate connections and replacing of water lines,” he said.
Mr Chibale said the problem of erratic water supply was expected to continue until somewhere around end of 2013 when most of the rehabilitation and maintenance works would have been carried out.
He appealed to Kitwe residents to bear with the utility over the problem of erratic water supply caused by the on-going water works, he said was for the good of everyone.
NWSC is currently implementing a $63 million African Development Bank (AfDB) funded water improvement project, which involves the overhauling of the entire water and sanitation network covering Kitwe, Kalulushi and Chambishi towns.
Meanwhile, Mr Chibale said the utility had commenced the installation of water prepaid meters exercise on a pilot basis for selected residential areas mainly the high cost.
“The prepaid metering project has started but on a pilot basis and when we would have seen how it will work, we will see if can roll it out,” Mr Chibale said.
Can some Engineers on this Blog explain to me and others why in Zambia districts and cities built next to lakes and rivers such as Samfya, Nchelenge, Chirundu, Kafue also do not have decent water supply.
Is it becuse its nearer for residents to go draw water nakambekiti Look at this street too??
Its shameful paZed
Lusaka Times reporting is pathetic. Surely the caption of the Mposa Mabwe is by no means a miner but a depiction of the struggle for Zambian Independence, which was won without gun fight but by among others throwing of stones and negotiation. Furthermore, this is the middle of Kitwe town with only shops around – there are no houses in this area and yet the story is about water shortages in homes especially Chimwemwe, so couldn’t a photo from there do.
Lastly, reason given by the official from the water company is pathetic. Is he saying that the rehabilitation of the water pipes is being done all at once or in a phased way? Surely the best way implement such a large project would be done in phases so that there is minimum disruption to the entire city. Fire the whole lot for incompetence
public relations manager? my foot.which school did these guys attend? UNZA engineers where are you fyalifye fya muma book
these guys at nkana water utility are jokers.
why should they deprive residents of their basic need close to a year, all in the name of rehabilitation. where are engineers kanshi?
awe mwe!
You voted wisely, bath your urine and sit in your buckets, chapwa abena Kitwe.