‘HIGH’ WATER BILLS DROWN KITWE SCHOOLS

water bills from Nkana Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) are forcing some schools to seek the support of well-wishers to sink boreholes at their premises. But, NWSC public relations officer Agnes Simwinga said the water utility firm had not received any complaints about high bills from learning institutions.

Wusakile Secondary School is one institution which has sunk a borehole with the support from Cummins Southern Africa while Chamboli and Valley View secondary schools were equally seeking the support of well-wishers to sink boreholes because of high water bills.

Valley View Secondary School Parents Teachers Association Committee official Justin Chikonge told Kwacha Member of Parliament Joe Malanji that the school was thinking of sinking a borehole because it could afford to pay the fabricated bills from NWSC.

Pastor Chikonge told Mr. Malanji during a meeting that the bills from NWSC were in most cases abnormally high and so sinking a borehole would save the school from financial strain. "As our MP, we are asking you if you can help us sink a borehole at this school because we cannot continue paying fabricated or exaggerated bills from NWSC. We think the only way to save ourselves from these bills which we fail to understand is to sink a borehole,'' Mr Chikonge said

But Ms Simwinga said no such complaint had been brought to the attention of the water utility company.

Ms Simwinga said school managements and residents should always seek dialogue on resolving various issues regarding water bills.

Cummins Southern Africa has spent more than K50,000 on sinking a borehole at Wusakile Secondary School to help alleviate the critical water shortages which the school has been experiencing.