By JOHN SAKALA
Kapiri Mposhi Town Council has drilled eight boreholes to improve the quality of life of residents in eight wards at a total cost of K378, 500.
The Council in its 2019 budget reserved funds under Ward Development to drill boreholes and install hand pumps in the various wards.
In media statement issued to The Independent Observer, Kapiri Mposhi Town Council Public Relations Officer Chris Mulaliki said the demand for clean drinking water and sanitation has been growing because of the increasing population.
Mr Mulaliki said the Council received reports from some Councillors that some Villages had their wells dried up while some Rural Health Centres and Schools were operating without access to safe and clean water.
He said the Council awarded the contract to drill the eight boreholes to STS Drilling and Exploration LTD on August 26, 2019 at a total cost of K378, 500 and the contractor has drilled the boreholes and fixed with hand pumps.
“The boreholes have been drilled in Chang’ondo (Kamulobwe Rural Health Centre), Kakwelesa (Mondaki Primary School), Kampumba (Konibuni Primary School), Mushimbili (Poso village), Lunsemfwa (Kafinda Rural Health Centre), Kabwale (Munyense Primary School), Munga (Kapopo Village) and Lunchu (Kabonga Village).
“The district experienced partial drought which led to streams and wells drying up. This affected livestock as animals could no longer drink water from the streams and wells they used to drink from. This resulted in villagers walking long distances to find water for their livestock and affected their economic activities. We expect hygiene to improve at the clinics which had no water as patients will now be able to access safe clean drinking water,” he said.
Mr Mulalike said some pupils spent more time to look for water than being in class because at their school they had no water.
He said the local authority expects the pupils to spend more time at school and concentrate on learning instead of walking long distances to fetch water.
“As a local Authority we are delighted that people will have access to safe, clean drinking water reduce on the distances they were covering to fetch for water,” he said.
