Monday, December 13, 2010

NWASCO needs about 130 million dollars level of investment per year

THE NATIONAL WATER AND SANITATION SECTOR NEEDS ABOUT 130MILLION US DOLLAR LEVEL OF INVESTMENT PER YEAR IF THE COUNTRY HAS TO MEET THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL (MDG) ON SAFE AND CLEAN DRINKING WATER BY 2015.
SPEAKING TODAY AT THE END OF THE YEAR MEDIA BRIEFING IN LUSAKA, NATIONAL WATER, SUPPLY AND SANITATION COUNCIL (NWASCO) DIRECTOR KELVIN CHITUMBO HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE SECTOR HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AT A SLOW BUT STEADY PACE DUE TO LOW INVESTMENT IN THE SECTOR.
MR CHITUMBO WHO DISCLOSED THAT THE YEAR 2010 HAS RECEIVED CLOSE TO 30 AND 40 MILLION DOLLARS STATED THAT THE LOW INVESTMENT IN THE SECTOR HAS HAMPERED THE PERFORMANCE OF WATER UTILITIES WHICH ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING IN THE COUNTRY.
AND MR. CHITUMBO HAS ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE SECTOR HAS BEEN RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM DONORS LIKE DANIDA WHO HAVE SO FAR PLEDGED ABOUT 2 BILLION KWACHA WORTH OF INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT BUT THIS IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN THE WHOLE SECTOR.
MEANWHILE MR. CHITUMBO HAS WARNED WATER UTILITIES THAT IT SHALL NOT TAKE KINDLY TO SERVICES WHICH ARE BELOW THE GUARANTEED SERVICE AND THAT ANY UTILITY FOUND WANTING WILL BE PENALIZED WITHOUT FAVOR.
AND THE COUNCIL HAS NOTED WITH CONCERN THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN WATER SUPPLIERS AND PLANNING AUTHORITIES WHICH HAS RESULTED IN NEW AREAS HAVING POOR WATER AND SANITATION SERVICE.
MR CHITUMBO SAYS THERE IS NEED TO ENHANCE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO PARTNERS IF SUPPLY OF QUALITY WATER AND SANITATION HAS TO BE ACHIEVED.
HE OBSERVED THAT DESPITE MANY SUCCESSES RECORDED IN 2010, THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE AS THERE ARE SO MANY CHALLENGES WHICH STILL REMAIN LIKE WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT, CONTAMINATION OF WATER SOURCES BY INDUSTRIES ESPECIALLY ON THE COPPERBELT AND COMMERCIAL UTILITIES ADHERENCE TO SERVICE LEVEL GUARANTEES AMONGST OTHERS.
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