Commercial Utilities
LICENSED WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION SERVICES PROVIDERS
All institutions supplying water supply and sanitation services to others are by law required to obtain an operating licence from NWASCO. A provider will only be issued a licence upon payment of the determined fees in full. There are currently two types of Water Supply and Sewerage service providers in Zambia, which are Commercial Utilities (formed by joint ventures among Local Authorities) and Private Schemes (companies supplying water and sewerage services as a fringe benefit to employees). 11 Commercial Utilities and 7 Private Schemes are currently licensed by NWASCO.
COMMERCIAL UTILITIES (CUs)
11 CUs
Urban Water Supply and Sanitation service provision has been fully transferred from Local Authorities (LAs) to CUs with the aim of increasing efficiency and sustainability in operations. Out of the total urban population of approximately 5.4million, about 5.3 million (99%) live in the service areas of the eleven CUs. Each province has 1 Commercial Utility except for the Copperbelt province where there are 3 of such providers.
| Commercial Utility | Abbreviation | Start of Operation | No. of towns serviced | Province * |
| Nkana WSC | NWSC | 2000 | 3 | Copperbelt |
| Lusaka WSC | LWSC | 1989 | 3 | Lusaka |
| Kafubu WSC | KWSC | 2000 | 3 | Copperbelt |
| Southern WSC | SWSC | 2000 | 17 | Southern |
| Mulonga WSC | MWSC | 2000 | 3 | Copperbelt |
| Chambeshi WSC | CHWSC | 2003 | 12 | Northern |
| Eastern WSC | EWSC | 2009 | 8 | Eastern |
| North Western WSC | NWWSC | 2000 | 7 | North-Western |
| Western WSC | WWSC | 2000 | 6 | Western |
| Lukanga WSC | LGWSC | 2007 | 6 | Central |
| Luapula WSC | LPWSC | 2009 | 7 | Luapula |
