North western Water Supply and Sewerage Company (NWWSSCO) has disclosed that Mushindamo, Ikelenge and Kalumbila districts have no water reticulation and sanitation systems.
NWWSSCO managing director Happy Musumali says people in the three districts rely on private boreholes.
“The three districts have no water reticulation and sanitation systems from the time they where created. So people entirely rely on boreholes,” said.
This came to light when Mr. Musumali was giving briefing to Water, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Permanent Secretary Joe Kalusa in Solwezi.
He also disclosed that Kasempa district experiences water challenges as the only source of the commodity the Lufupa river dries up annually.
“However, we are trying to come up with commercial boreholes in Kasempa,” he said.
He revealed that the water supply coverage in the province is at 70 percent while sanitation services coverage is at 24 percent.
He said the demand for water in the region is currently standing at 2 million cubic meters and that the company is only able to supply about 1.3 million cubic meters.
“And from the 1.3 million cubic meters, we are only billing 850,000 cubic meters,” he said.
And Mr. Kalusa said in an effort to supply clean and safe drinking water, government will give support to the water utility company.
He said the new administration is committed at ensuring that it installs water supply and sanitation infrastructure in Ikelenge, Mushindamo and Kalumbila districts so that people can have access to clean and safe drinking water.
Mr. Kalusa is in the province for a familiarisation tour of water infrastructure.
