Chief Mumena of the Kaonde people of Kalumbila district has appealed to government to set up local and community water supply schemes in his chiefdom.
The traditional leader said this will help resolve clean and safe water supply challenges in the villages and surrounding areas.
He said it has become necessary that there can be formation of small water and sanitation commercial entities at the village and community level.
He disclosed that his chiefdom has the Luma and Mutanda rivers which are perennial and are a source of abundant volumes of water.
“I think it can be a good idea to have a partnership with a water utility company and small entities that are going to run at the village and community level so that the community has access to clean and safe drinking piped water,” said the traditional leader.
He was speaking when Water Development Permanent Secretary, Joe Kalusa called on him at his palace.
He said the area was recording a number of chronic waterborne disease outbreaks which could be prevented by the supply of clean and safe water.
And Water Development and Sanitation Permanent Secretary Joe Kalusa explained that the Chief’s proposal is one of the ways in which water supply challenges at village level can be resolved.
He said government is in support of smaller water supply schemes being set up by stakeholders in various parts of the country.
Mr. Kalusa has also noted that government will also focus on sanitation services in the rural parts of Zambia especially in areas that have been affected the most by population growth.
The Permanent Secretary further told Chief Mumena that the 2022 national budget has lined up several projects aimed at offsetting water supply and sanitation challenges in remote parts of the Country.
