By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
THE average daily water supply in major parts of Kitwe, Kalulushi and Chambishi has increased from about eight hours to a maximum of about 18 hours a day.
This follows the successful implementation of the US$63 million Government and African Development Bank (AfDB) funded water and sanitation improvement project by Nkana Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC).
NWSC public relations manager Mwangala Chiwala said the utility completed implementation of the project in March this year and was currently in the process of doing the completion report.
The $63 million water and sanitation project saw NWSC invest $25.7 million in Kitwe water supply and another $11.5 million in Kitwe sanitation works.
A further $9.1 million was invested in Kalulushi water and sanitation works and $1.9 million for Chambishi water and sanitation works.
Ms Chiwala said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that the project had resulted in marked improvement even in some areas such as Chamboli and Wusakile townships which previously received an average daily water supply of five to six hours on a good day but now have more than 12 hours of supply.
Chimwemwe, which also experienced water challenges, moved to an average supply of 16 hours from the previous six hours.
“Following the $63 million water and sanitation improvement project, we have seen a general progression in terms of water supply from below 10 hours to above 14 hours for the worst case scenario,” Ms Chiwala said.
She also said through the same project, the company had increased water production to about 44, 000 cubic metres.
Ms Chiwala however said the utility was still grappling with the problem of old and dilapidated networks.
She said through the same $63 million water and sanitation project, the company managed to only rehabilitate a stretch of 150 kilometres of pipes from the existing total stretch of more than 600 kilometres.
With the current increased water production, NWSC is now experiencing numerous pipe bursts as the old pipes are failing to cope with water pressure being exerted by the increased production.
