By MIRIAM ZIMBA –
Despite having scored successes in the provision of clean water supply, Zambia has not fared very well in the provision of sanitation services.
According the 2013 United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Report, the proportion of the population without access to improved water source has decreased from 51 per cent in 1990, to 36.9 per cent in 2010.
However, the proportion without access to clean sanitation has worsened from 26 per cent in 1991 to 67.3 per cent in 2010.
‘This simply means that Zambia is well off track towards achieving the
MDG target of 13 per cent by 2015,’ the report reads in part.
This disturbing trend is partly explained by the increase in informal human settlements without basic sanitation facilities, the high cost of sanitation infrastructure, and low returns to these investments by the private sector, especially in rural areas.

• Children scramble to draw water in Chingola’s Maiteneke Township.

Challenges relating to this very critical and increasingly scarce commodity, water, are a global issue requiring global interventions.
It is for this reason that the UN has set aside March 22 each year, to commemorate the World Water Day (WWD).
Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater.
Under the theme Water and Sustainable Development, the year 2015 provides an important opportunity to consolidate and build upon the previous World Water Days to highlight the role water plays in the sustainable development agenda.
The Devolution Trust Fund (DTF) is an international non-governmental which has been working in Zambia since 2003.
With a mission to capacitate commercial utilities and communities for effective, quality, appropriate, sustainable and affordable water and
sanitation services, DTF recognises the importance of water as a resource.
According to DTF socio-economist Victor Muyeba, his organisation works with all the eleven commercial water utilities across the country.
“All these water utilities across the country are eligible for financing from DTF for water supply and sanitation projects,” he explains.
“We stake cognisance of the fact that most water utilities do not have adequate resources to extend water supply and sanitation services to all communities within their jurisdiction.”
In interpreting the theme for this year’s WWD, Mr Muyeba explains that DTF plays a critical role in terms of promoting infrastructure development.
He adds that this is in line with DTF’s quest to promote sustainable water supply in order to increase access to safe and clean water for
un-served populations.
DTF steps in to assist commercial water utilities expand their water supply and sanitation coverage areas, through DTF’s provision of
finances for these projects.
“The provision of water and sanitation services as close to communities as possible allows communities to use the time spent on looking for water to engage in other income generating activities, and ensure improved quality of life,” he adds.
To this date, DTF thrives on the operational efficiency in the commercial water utilities.
The National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) established DTF as provided for in the 1997 Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Act number 28.
This was done with the view to assist water utilities established by local authorities.
Thus DTF supports commercial utilities to extend their service provision to the low-income population in urban areas.
DTF’s mandate has also been extended to incorporate assisting of commercial utilities in enhancing their financial viability as well.
In 2011, the DTF developed a concept for measures that could assist
commercial utilities efficiency in managing their bulk energy.
To this effect a pilot energy audit commenced at Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company in 2012 as a precaution for capital funding under the
Performance Enhancement Fund (PEF).
PEF in this case focuses on the reduction of non-water revenue (NWR) through metering of bulk supply of the consumption at the customer
premises.
Other measures aimed at effectively and efficiently managing NRW like leakage detection and repair, pressure management, automations of the meter readings and monitoring systems etc also form part of the project framework.
In line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) & on sanitation to halve by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, the DTF has committed itself to reach about 80,000 people in low income areas with sanitation services.
The background to all this is that Zambia is one of the most urbanized countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The majority of the population resides in the low cost and peri-urban areas.
These areas are usually prone to outbreaks of water borne diseases that are largely attributable to poor drainage in conjunction with WSS services.
It is estimated that two million people living in low income areas still have no access to safe water, whilst an even larger number have
no access to basic sanitation services.
The importance of sanitation cannot be over emphasised.
The provision of clean and safe water and sanitation services willb ultimately help to reduce the disease burden in relation to water borne diseases, it will ensure increased family incomes, and helpb preserve the environment and human dignity.
In as far as meeting the WWD theme for 2015, it is clear that DTF’s mandate is not only in line with this theme, but also in line with MDG
7, in working towards reducing the population of communities without access to clean water and sanitation services.
For now, the correlation between water and sustainable development cannot be over emphasised, in fact, water will remain a critical component in achieving sustainable national and global development.