By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
THE National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) has expressed disappointment that the two newly-constructed water tanks to ease the water supply challenges in Mansa and Nchelenge in Luapula Province at a cost of K1.5 million were poorly done and have since collapsed.
NWASCO public relations manager Rose Tembo said it was sad that poor workmanship of two 500m3 newly-constructed water tanks in Mansa and Nchelenge led to their collapse.
NWASCO has since called for punitive action against those responsible.
The two tanks installed in Mansa and Nchelenge collapsed on 10 and 17 June, this year respectively at the point of testing.
The two storage tanks worth almost K1.5 million were part of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) funded project for Luapula Water and Sewerage Company aimed at improving water supply.
The works in question were undertaken by Logical Systems Construction Company.
Ms Tembo said NWASCO was saddened by what had happened and was hopeful that investigations launched by the National Council for Construction (NCC) would bring culprits to book as money sourced by Government through DANIDA to improve water supply in Mansa and Nchelenge has to be accounted for.
“The disaster in Luapula Province will negatively affect consumers of Mansa and Nchelenge in areas like Kaole and some parts of Surburbs who do not have access to clean water while the people of Nchelenge will continue to receive untreated water which is pumped from the Lake Mweru.
“Nchelenge does not have a treatment plant and the new tank was earmarked to store treated water from Kashikishi for supply in Nchelenge. NWASCO notes that Nchelenge is prone to typhoid and cholera, hence the need for the water and sewerage company to supply clean and safe water,” Ms Tembo said.
She said a tour conducted by NWASCO from June 28 to July 1, this year in Luapula revealed that the anticipated improvements in hours of supply averaging 14 hours per day in Mansa and six hours in Nchelenge would not be realised in the short term.
Ms Tembo said there was, therefore, need for more investments for Luapula, Chambeshi and Western Water Sewerage companies which have continued to perform below the acceptable benchmarks.
Luapula Water and Sewerage Company provides water in five towns namely Mansa, Samfya, Nchelenge, Kawambwa and Mwense with dilapidated and inadequate infrastructure that requires complete overhaul.