By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Government has constructed 647 boreholes in Western Province, distributed in all the 16 Districts.
This is out of the 1, 231 targeted under the Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Western Zambia – TRLWZ project, being implemented with support from the African Development Bank, at a cost of US$38.23 Million.
Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) Public Relations Officer Amos Zulu said this is part of the implementation of the Seventh National Development Plan – 7NDP and the Vision 2030.
Mr Zulu said the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection is implementing two National Programmes: The National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme; and the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, at an estimated cost of USD$6 Billion.
He said the Transforming Rural Livelihoods in Western Zambia is part of the phase two of the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme – NRWSSP II.
Mr Zulu said the project aims at providing sustainable and equitable access to improved water supply and sanitation, to meet basic needs for improved health, social conditions and poverty alleviation to 664,000 people in the rural parts of the Province.
“Construction of 5 piped water schemes out of the 10 is ongoing in Nkeyema, Kaoma, Luampa, Limulunga and Mongu Districts, with an overall progress of 61 per cent. The rest of the schemes, whose contract has been signed, will be built in Mwandi, Mulobezi, Sioma, Shang’ombo and Nalolo Districts. The project also involves the construction of 900 sanitation facilities in selected public places such as schools, health posts, markets and bus stations in all the 16 districts.
“Further, 770 boreholes and 470 hand dug wells will be rehabilitated while 6 bio – digesters, 250 hand dug wells, 150 manually drilled boreholes and 9 spare part shops are being constructed,” he said.
