Fri, 16 Feb 2018 13:28:13 +0000
By JOSSY CHAIMA
NKANA Water and Sewerage Company has signed a 3.1 million euros partnership with Vitens Evides International (VEI).
NWSC managing director Diana Makwaba said the water works partnership will run for 4 years from 2018 to 2021, to ensure sustainable water services for all.
Ms Makwaba said the partnership would help improve the operations, maintenance of the utility company and service delivery as well as reduce water losses.
Ms Makwaba said there was need for adequate resources in order to improve existing facilities as well as extend services to meet the demands of all customers.
“We do realise the various challenges such as high non- revenue water arising from poor infrastructure with leakage and because we not able to convert all the water into revenue because we are not able to bill all our customers “ she said. She said the company was losing a lot of revenue due to high numbers of illegal connections.
Ms Makwaba said NWSC had extended amnesty for illegally connected customers to have their connection normalised without facing the law or paying connection fees.
And VEI Regional Director Siemien Veenstra said the partnership was also going to serve as mentorship of the utility company because NWSC would share the knowledge with Chambishi water and sewerage.
Mr Veenstra said NWSC and Southern water were chosen for the partnership because they are not bad performing companies and are eager to learn and share their experiences and are able to take responsibility to assist others. He said it is the mission of VEI to make things better but also make people perform better in the utility.
Officiating at the signing ceremony Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu said the President placed a lot of importance on the needs to improve water and sanitation services including measures to mitigate environmental degradation.
Mr Mpundu said government realised the challenges the utility companies face and remained committed to the provision of clean water.
“I am delighted that water utilities such as NWSC with the help of government have undertaken projects to help deal with the challenges to alleviate the suffering of people.
This project could not have come at a better time than this when the country is faced with challenges of water due to settlements expansion, new development areas “ he said.
