By CHILA NAMAIKO? –

ABOUT 12,000 households in the low-cost area of Chandamali Township of Choma are expected to start receiving adequate access to water supply.
This follows the Government’s release of K2.7 million to Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWASCO) from the Devolution Trust Fund (DFT) for the water reticulation project in the township.
The project, to be completed within 12 months, would involve setting up of 25 Kilometres of water supply network to connect about 2,000 households in the densely populated township of Choma.
SWASCO corporate affairs manager Liversage Mulinda said in a statement yesterday that the project, once completed, would benefit more than 12,000 households in the area.
“Currently, Chandamali is among the low cost areas that do not have a proper water supply network and the project seeks to improve the quality of supply, increase hours of supply and coverage to the whole township and ultimately improve quality of life among the residents by?among other things, reducing disease burden especially water borne related diseases,” he said.
A total of 1,900 metres of pipes would be installed in line with the company’s aspirations of ensuring that all connections were metered to reduce non-revenue water and customers pay for what they use.
The water utility firm was grateful to DTF for the grant which was among many other grants SWASCO had received for the metering project of Zambia Township in Choma.
Other beneficiaries of DTF were the Dambwa Township metering project in Livingstone where 2,000 automatic read meters were being installed at a cost of about K3.3 million to benefit 14,000 residents.
SWASCO also implemented phase-one of the Libuyu Township Sanitation Project in Livingstone, while preparations were underway for the implementation of phase-two of the project in the same township which had dilapidated sewer system.