By Staff Writer
Caritas Zambia has called on government to give adequate funding to the water and sanitation sector if the vision 2030 of access to safe clean water for all is to be attained.
Caritas Zambia Chingola Coordinator Eugene Mulenga said that the challenges faced by water utilities emanated from lack of adequate funding which has resulted in dilapidated infrastructure.
Speaking during a panel discussion program on Kokoliko FM radio sponsored by BBC media, Mr Mulenga said that water utility companies have not been adequately funded in the past.
He said lack of adequate funding need to be corrected if the vision 2030 of access to water and sanitation for all is to be attained.
“Among the challenges water utility firms are facing is dilapidated infrastructure. It seems the sector has not been adequately funded in the past. We call upon government to increase funding to this sector to improve the lives of the poor,” he said.
He appealed to water and sanitation service providers to ensure that services were accessible to the poor and particularly differently abled people who were adversely affected by service interruptions.
And Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited (MWSC) has bemoaned the escalating levels of vandalism which is contributing to service disturbances.
MWSC Communications Manager Bright Mtonga said that the company was facing high levels of vandalism and thefts despite sustained sensitizations and police patrols.
Mr Mtonga said that in the past thieves targeted metallic items to be sold as scrap metal but of late even plastic materials were being stolen.
He said that the company had engaged the local leadership on how to combat the scourge and urged the community to report any suspicious activities on MWSC installations.
