Ensuring that water supply and sanitation services are provided is, in itself, a big challenge in developing countries. However, the greater hurdle is ensuring that the quality of service provision meets set standards. Trying to live up to this challenge is an autonomous water services regulator established to ensure that commercialised water supply and sanitation providers begin not only to provide a service, but one of guaranteed standard.

The National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), established by an Act of Parliament of 1997 issues operating licences to all water supply and sanitation service providers in Zambia. Alongside the licence, guidelines giving certain minimum requirements of service are issued. NWASCO approves requests for tariff adjustment (taking into consideration the social needs of the poor) from providers based on Minimum Service Level Guarantees.

There are currently ten (11) Commercial Utilities (CUs), and six (6) private water providers running water supply and sanitation services in the country.

NWASCO's lean structure is augmented by Water Watch Groups and Part Time Inspectors who monitor the quality of service on the ground. Through a powerful interactive information system (NIS), installed both at the regulator and provider, NWASCO annually publishes the comparative performance sector report on providers.

NWASCO, being cognisant of the social need for the urban poor, established the Devolution Trust Fund (DTF) as a tool for ensuring Water Supply and Sanitation services are extended to the urban poor using low-cost affordable technology.