Stop leakages, Matero residents tell LWSC

MATERO residents are not happy with the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company poor response to reports of leakages and sewer blockages around the area despite Government’s efforts to clean up Lusaka to end cholera.

Some residents told the Daily Nation that this was despite the company having a local office in the area, but that they have failed to respond to most reported faults on time including leakages along the main supply line in the area.

Gertrude Chama of House no. 20/03 Matero East complained that some households in the area experienced dry taps every day and yet water pipes along roads spilled water throughout the night.

She said the company has been losing millions of liters of water into the ground through broken pipes along the road due to exposed pipes which end up being damaged by vehicles driving over them.

Ms Chama said most water pipes around Matero East have been left uncovered on the top of the roads and quickly get damaged as a result of soil erosion especially after the rain season.

“We have pools of waters flowing downhill on most of the roads from underground pipes that have been exposed due to damage from vehicles and other activities.

“And when reported, it takes even upto 14 days for somebody to attend to the leakages or blockages, such that some roads are overflowing with sewer ef- fluent , which poses a health risk to the children in the area,” she said.

And another resident Maluba Moomba said it was no wonder there was limited water supply due to loss of the commodity into the ground.

He said too much water was being lost in the ground and not reaching the intended users as the company has failed to service the broken pipes and sewer lines.

The residents have appealed to the area councilor Mr Elijah Makungu and his Member of Parliament Lloyd Kaziya to ensure the utility company provided the necessary services to the people to help residents with quality service and maintain the flow of water supply to the houses.