NWASCO Board Chairperson, Mr Levi Zulu says in 2015, Water and Sewerage Companies made progress towards meeting the vision 2030 target of universal coverage.

And Mr Zulu noted that NWASCO continued to undertake its regulatory mandate through monitoring service provision, enforcement of applicable legislation and regulations, tariff setting, consumer engagement and advising government on matters pertaining to the sector.

Speaking recently (08^th April 2016),   at the launch of the Urban and Peri-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Report NWASCO Board Chairman said in 2015 the sector scored a success on the attainment of the Millennium Developmental Goal (MDG), national target on access to water at a weighted average of 74% of which the target was 74%.

“Despite this success story, the water sector faced a number of challenges in the latter half of the year among others, electricity load shedding, dwindling levels of water resources and the economic downturn which resulted into in water supply restrictions, escalated costs of doing business, low billing and revenue collections.”

Mr Zulu further noted that there was a slight decrease in the percentage of the critical indicators such as hours of water supply and operation and maintenance costs coverage due to various factors, such as load shedding and the increase in the cost of doing business due to the economic downturn.

“Another critical indicator that needs compliance is the metering ratio which has slightly improved from 70% to 73%. The aim of the sector is to achieve 100% metering within the medium term which will go a long way in helping Commercial Utilities (CUs) achieve full cost recovery.”

He further said that NWASCO’s basket funding mechanism the Devolution Trust Fund (DTF)  contributed significantly to increased access to water supply and sanitation services to the Peri-Urban through the completion of the four water projects  in  Kashikishi under Luapula Water and Sewerage Company , Malole in Mungwi under Chambeshi Water and Sewerage Company, Malembeka township in Kitwe under Nkana Water and Sewerage Company and  Kamuchanga in Luanshya under Kafubu Water and Sewerage Company amounting to Four Million Nine Hundred Fifty Nine thousand kwacha (K 4, 959,335.00)  with 48, 600 beneficiaries. The scope of the projects included installation of water supply network and bulk meters, construction of water kiosks and water storage facilities. However, there is need for the sector to improve access and awareness to sanitation.

The Urban and Peri-Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Report is launched annually to inform the public on the performance of water and sewerage companies. It highlights and benchmarks the performance of the 11 Water and Sewerage Companies and 6 private schemes.