The Resource Centre being housed at NWASCO and set up with the support of DANIDA has a collection of material for the Water Sector ranging from the NWASCO information system  for water supply and sanitation  sector performance, local databases, training manuals, handbooks, reference books, directories, leaflets, posters, videos, media stories  and web links.

Officiating at the launch of the Resource Centre on the December 13^th 2011, Minister of Lands, Energy and Water Development Chris Yaluma observed that accessto appropriate, relevant and up-to-date information about water supply and sanitation issues plays a vital role in enabling educators, researchers, students, policy makers, cooperating partners, communities and individuals to make informed decisions as well as improve skills and knowledge.

“Information plays an important part in everyone’s learning process and helps us to understand the context of our work in the water sector, follow new approaches, undertake new responsibilities, and improve our practice for the betterment of our people.”

Mr Yaluma noted that the establishment of the resource centre is critical as it plays a significant role in ensuring that the country responds to the demands and challenges of the sector with accurate and up-to-date information on water supply and sanitation.

Speaking during the launch, DANISH Ambassador to Zambia Thomas Schjerbeck pledged his country’s continued support towards improvement of the water sector. He said water and sanitation programmes in Zambia had been the most successful undertakings Denmark had funded in the past ten years. Mr Schjerbeck however noted that Denmark only had about two years in Zambia to wind up all its water and sanitation projects.

And NWASCO Vice Board Chairperson, Levi Zulu said the resource centre is one of the strategic tools of regulation that NWASCO would utilise to move the water supply and sanitation sector to a higher level and be relevant to consumers, commercial utilities, the government and non government organisations and cooperating partners.

Mr Zulu assured stakeholders that the water and sanitation regulator was determined to develop appropriate instruments for modern regulation and fulfill its mandate as stipulated in the water supply and sanitation act of ensuring sustainable water supply and sanitation services for all.

The Resource Centre has been set up at a cost of 331 Million Zambian Kwacha.

Water plays an important role in all sectors of the economy. It is critical to food and agriculture, energy, health, industry, transport, tourism development and other sectors. The Zambia water sector reforms have seen the development and implementation of institutional and regulatory frameworks in Zambia. Despite this, the country still faces challenges in bringing together different stakeholders to share and build networks in the management and use of water.

To identify scientific  and policy options to adapt to a new reality, stakeholders working in the water and related sectors through an initiative dubbed ‘The Zambia Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE)’ are organizing a forum on  ensuring sustainability and sound water management in Zambia through stakeholder participation. The forum will be held from 7^th to 8^th November 2011 at the Golfview Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia.

Key stakeholders, including Government Ministries such as   Lands, Energy and Water Development and Local Government, Housing Early Education and Environmental Protection, are members to this first event, which is planned to be an annual event.

The objective of the Zambia Water Forum and Exhibition (ZAWAFE) is to bring together various national and international stakeholders, to discuss and share best practice on water management and mainstreaming water as a core component of economic development. Aspects that will be addressed may concern knowledge and research, policy formulation and implementation, adaptation of strategies that would ensure sustainability and sound water management in Zambia. In addition, the roles of Government, Public, Private, Non Governmental sectors and Cooperating partners will be addressed.

Field trips have also been planned on 5^th ,6^th ,9^th and 10^th November  to the following destinations before and after the conference at a fee;

1. Water Conflicts: Understanding Emerging Water Management Issues on the Zambezi River
2. IWRM: To What Extent is it Practiced in the Kafue Lower Catchment
3. Victoria Falls/ Mosi oa Tunya National Park (Water for Tourism and Energy)
4. Kafue Gorge (Water for Energy)
5. Zambia Sugar (Water for Agriculture)  
6.  Visit to KCM’s Wettest Mine                                        

Who should attend?

Consumers, users, academicians, sector players and other stakeholders are invited to participate in this forum. It is hoped  that this forum will bring together researchers in water and environmental management including scientists, policy makers, academia and NGOs.

How to register

All participants will be required to register for the forum. Each participant will be required to pay participation fee of Twenty Thousand Kwacha (K20, 000) only. To register please click here.

Due to limited space, participation will be on “first come first served” basis, we therefore advise that you return your registration form by 28^th October 2011(contact details are provided on the registration form).

Format of the conference

Several speakers have been identified to tackle critical thematic areas during the forum.

Among them will be:

1.Hon. Chris Yaluma, Minister lands, energy and water Development, who will be addressing Policy, Institutional and Legal Frameworks governing water in Zambia: Status and plans for the future

2. Hon Alexander Chikwanda, Minister of Finance and National Planning will address the Economic Benefits of water in Zambia’s development: Status and Plans for the future

3.Prof. Dr. Stefan Wohnlich, Universityof Bochum Germany, will delve into New Developments in Tracer Techniques of Groundwater.

4. Prof. Imasiku Nyambe, Associate Professor, Director of Directorate for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Zambia who will be addressing Research& Development, and Capacity Building: Their role in the water sector in Zambia.

Speakers will be given 20 minutes and discussions will be between 20 minutes.

The conference shall conclude with recommendations on best practices for the sector.

Benefits of attending the forum

• Enrich yourself with knowledge of what the country has so far achieved and its plans for the future in so far as water management is concerned.
• Share best practice on water management and mainstreaming water as a core component of economic development
• Participate and be part of a great legacy of ensuring Zambia has a future with sustainability and sound water management.

How to contact us

For further information and clarification please don’t hesitate to contact the Professor Nyambe on +260-955-793600 or Mrs Josephine Goma on +260-977438443/ +260-211 226941/2

Email: jgoma@nwasco.org.zm

Sanitation coverage for the country has lagged behind and is now at 54.1% compared to last years’ coverage of 36.6%. On the other hand ,the national water coverage in Urban and peri- Urban areas continues to improve and is now 77.5 %.

Officiating at the 2010/2011 Urban and peri urban water supply and sanitation sector report launch, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government and Housing Ms Christah Kalulu reiterated government’s commitment to the development and provision of sustainable water supply and sanitation services as articulated in the 6^th National Development plan and the vision 2030.

She said since 1994 more than 2 Trillion Kwacha has been invested in the improvement of water supply and sanitation infrastructure. “This year alone, government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing has provided a supplementary budget amounting to 94 Billion to enable Commercial Utilities undertake emergency works.”

Ms Kalulu noted that as a result of government efforts, access to clean and safe water has increased to 77.5% from as low as 45% in 2002.

She however noted as a challenge the marginalization of sanitation by the Commercial Utilities especially in peri- urban areas and called on Commercial Utilities to double their efforts and promote sanitation services.

Ms Kalulu further urged Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) to give priority to supplying constant power supply and stable voltage to water supply and sanitation treatment and distribution plants in order to facilitate reliable provision of clean water. This is against the backdrop of frequent power outages in a number of towns among others Petauke, Chipata, Ndola, Kawambwa, Mumbwa and Mongu which hamper water service delivery.

At the same Occasion, Southern Water and Sewerage Company was awarded the Best performing Commercial Utility in the country, while Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company was second. Lusaka and Nkana Water and Sewerage Companies were awarded the most improved Commercial Utility and Best performing Commercial Utility in Peri Urban respectively.

Other  Recognitions for Excellence in performance were:

• Best Submitted Data -Eastern WSC
• Un- accounted for -Water Southern WSC
• Water Quality- North Western WSC
• Metering Ratio  -Eastern WSC
• Water Coverage- Lusaka WSC
• Sanitation Coverage - Mulonga WSC
• Collection Efficiency- Luapula WSC
• Hours of Supply -Lukanga WSC
• Staff per 1,000 connections  - Chambeshi WSC
• O+M Cost coverage collection- Mulonga WSC

The full 2010/2011 Urban and Peri-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Report can be downloaded here