By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Permanent Secretary, Joe Kalusa has urged Mulonga Water and Sanitation Company to be prudent with minimum resources.
Mr Kalusa said that monies that have been made available for projects running must be handled with care and monitored accordingly.
The PS was speaking during a familiarization tour, where he visited various projects to appreciate the works in the three Districts that Mulonga operates in.
He said that the water utility company must by all means ensure that projects are completed, because uncompleted projects are costly to the country’s coffers.
“As you know, water is life and for residents to be productive, they have to be healthy that is why Mulonga has to improve on water rationing and production,” he said.
And Mr Kalusa encouraged Mulonga water to sensitize residents on the challenges the company is faced with in terms of water production so that the reason for shortage of water is understood.
He assured the water utility company of Government’s support but the company has to see to it that water is treated properly.
Mr Kalusa also said that the Ministry will ensure that some laws are passed against vandalism of water pipes, so as to deter vandals.
“Our laws were very weak in this area, we are trying to see how the act can be improved so that we can have stiffer punishment for vandals, just like the power utility has stiffer laws that deter vandalism,” he said.
Mr Kalusa also appealed to the Mayors’ of Chingola, Chililabombwe and Mufulira to ensure that the water utility company is given land titles on time to avoid land encroachments.
Mr Kalusa said that Government will be attending to pressing issues and not focus on what was done wrong.
And MWSC Acting Director Ndila Hamalambo assured the PS of improved services to the people.
Mr Hamalambo said that the company has a number of projects that will lessen erratic supply of water in all it service towns.
And Chililabobwe Mayor Lucky Sichone said that the district’s challenge is lack of water in Kakoso and Kameza East.
Chingola Mayor Johnson Kangombe said that the supply of water has at least improved in the recent months as compared to the past.
And Mufulira Mayor Tanaeli Kamanga said that most of the district has shortage of water because water is not supplied regularly.
He urged the Ministry to work on ways to help the water utility company to come up with ways to cushion shortage of supply in the district.
