Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection, Jonas Chanda says government wants to close the inequality gap of water supply in Western Province through the Integrated Small Town Water Supply project.
Dr Chanda said the over US$41 million project being implemented under the Western Water Supply and Sanitation Project will ensure the 100 percent supply coverage in the area.
He said government wants to ensure that the developmental inequality that has been in the province is closed hence the investment in the project that will improve water supply in the area.
“This water project in the province will have improved water supply and coverage which is currently at 49 percent. This is part of the vision 2030 which is achieving universal access to clean and safe water and sanitation services,” Dr Chanda stated.
“The national water supply coverage across the country is at 72 percent while sanitation is at 54 percent and these have improved through the pro poor policy of the PF government,” he said.
The Minister was speaking when he visited Senanga District, in company of Western Water and Sewerage board members to inspect the proposed project site that is scheduled to have a ground breaking ceremony soon.
He noted that people are more prone to diseases if they do not have access to clean water Supply stating that good health is essential for national development.
Meanwhile, Senanga Member of Parliament, Mulowa Mukumbuta commended government for bringing the project to the district.
Mr Mukumbuta said the success of the project will help the district to reduce water shortages that have been experienced in some parts of the area.
“We are near the Zambezi River and water shortages should not be experienced and this project will help us,” Mr Mukumbuta stated.
And Project Supervising Engineer, Joseck Ondieki said the project will connect 2,000 new customer meters in the district.
Mr Ondieki said the coming of the project will have nine thousand cubic meters per day of water extraction that will ensure 100 percent supply coverage.
“Once completed in 2022, it will have water supply which will be more than the demand. For Senanga, the contractors are already on site and the project is expected to be completed in April 2022,” he said.
The Integrated Small Towns Water Supply Project costing about 41.8 million United States Dollars is being implemented in Senanga, Mongu, Sesheke and Kaoma districts.
It doesn’t make sense for districts like Senanga to experience poor water supply when the Zambezi runs through town. Water reticulation is very poor. Govt must decentralize these projects so that people can locally try to address them. This project is long overdue
Ayatollah, theres been no successful project in wp. Cashew failed. Climate chakuti ffailed. Even this one is going nowhere. Just wait and see. Corruption. Strange contractors. Workshops. Meetings. No impact in the ground. Its just a big circus.