MPULUNGU Member of Parliament Lameck Chibombamilimo says he has written to President Rupiah Banda to help source for funds to avert the water problems in Mpulungu district.
And as the critical shortage of tap water in Mpulungu enters day eight (8), health officials have warned of a looming serious waterborne disease, which they say district officials might find difficult to contain.
In a telephone interview from Lusaka today, Mr. Chibombamilimo said President Banda was aware of the water problems the people of Mpulungu were experiencing.
He expressed hope that a permanent solution on the matter would be found in the shortest possible time.
“Yes I can confirm that I have written to the president to help over this matter and I decided to involve the Head of State himself as a last resort because despite several meetings and conversations I have held with top officials from Chambeshi Water and Sewerage company and the Ministry of Local Government and Housing, no tangible results have been realized.” , said Mr. Chibombamilimo.
He noted with regret that the Director of Local Government has no capacity to solve the water problems in Mpulungu, adding that it was clear from the operations of Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company that the water utility firm had failed the people of Northern Province in general and Mpulungu in particular.
“We have been putting in our best because the problem of water had been a long outstanding issue in Mpulungu. I personally have gone to the electronic media, MUVI TV, ZNBC TV. I have held several meetings, made numerous phone calls to people at Chambeshi, the Minister of local government, the director and several top officials, all in a bid to find a lasting solution to this problem’’, narrated Mr. Chibombamilimo.
He alleged that there were some forces in Mpulungu who were trying to politicize the water crisis, saying however that such maneuvers will not succeed because all avenues have been explored including informing the Head of State over the matter.
He said in his opinion, an area the size of Northern Province must have three water utility companies to share the 12 districts because Chambeshi water and Sewerage Company had failed to provide the service to the people.
And in Mpulungu, the water crisis has continued to deepen with no solution in sight as of today.
Residents who have been patiently waiting for explanations from Chambeshi water and sewerage company for the last one week have not got any and several have been seen crisscrossing the township with containers and buckets on their heads as they search for safe water points.
They have also been wondering why Mpulungu, with a mass water body in lake Tanganyika just on the door step could continue to experience erratic water supply and shortages annually.
Sources at Chambeshi Water yesterday advised residents to brace themselves for hard times ahead because the submissive pump that blew up last week and caused the water shortage had not been procured.
Meanwhile District Director of Health Lemmy Situnyama today warned of an outbreak of a serious waterborne disease if an urgent solution to the water crisis is not found.
He said Mpulungu district hospital had been adversely affected by the water shortage and is currently operating below par.
“Just find some time to visit the maternity ward, there is blood all over the place because of deliveries. The toilets are also in unhygienic condition. Laboratory tests we’re saying these are the worst affected areas because they need water on a 24 hour basis to run effectively, now with the week long water crisis…you can imagine what is happening!”, Situnyama explained.
He revealed that patient minders at the hospital have now resorted to doing their laundries directly from the lake adding however that this was a health risk.
“To cope with this crisis, we have hired the fire brigade truck from council to ferry water to the hospital but this is extremely expensive in fuels and allowances for people involved especially that our resources have diminished because of the famous financial scandals in the Ministry,’’ he said.
Dr. Situnyama said his main worry was that people were drawing water from unsafe points like the lake and were taking it directly without chlorination.
He advised that in future, water utility companies like Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company must prioritize the provision of water to critical institutions like the hospital because such facilities need running water throughout.
Dr. Situnyama appealed to the company to quickly solve the water crisis and restore normal operations.
ZANIS
