Millennium Challenge Account Zambia (MCA) will this November hand over the Kaunda square stabilisation ponds that have been under construction to Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC).
MCA Director of Communications, Dr. John Kunda said the rehabilitation of the ponds will cost 10 million US dollars and the completion rate of the ponds is at 80 percent.
“LWSC is an implementing entity because they are the owners of infrastructure of water supply and sanitation hence the handover to them to continue providing services,” said Dr. Kunda.
He said the mandate of MCA is to implement the Lusaka Water and Supply sanitation and drainage project which in total costs 355 million US dollars for a limited time of 5years.
Among other projects catered for is the installation of a water supply and sewer network in Mtendere of which so far 37 kilometres of network has been laid explained Dr. Kunda.
The doctor said all old pipes in Lusaka will be replaced in order to improve water supply.
Dr. Kunda added that currently LWSC loses about 48 percent of water produced and that the aim is to reduce it to 23 percentage point.
And Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Patson Phiri said machinery is being planted on the Kafue River for the Kafue Bulk Water project which will pump 150 million litres of water per day in phase 1 and 600 million liters a day in the second to residdents of Lusaka.
“Under this project we want Lusaka to have adequate water both in terms of reserve and supply,” said Mr. Phiri.
He added that residents in Kaunda square and Mtendere have been asked to construct flushable toilets by the company of which the cost of connecting them to the LWSC system will be covered by funds received from the Zambian government.
He said this is because the company is trying to discourage the construction of latrines as well as boreholes to prevent underground water from getting contaminated thereby leading to Cholera outbreaks.
The Zambian government signed an agreement with the United States government on May 10, 2012. The lifespan is up to November, 2018 with some of the activities falling within time.