WATER CRISIS HITS SOLWEZI

ACRITICAL water shortage has hit some parts of Solwezi for almost two weeks.

The affected areas are Kandundu, Urban, Kazomba, Messengers townships and the town centre.

Due to scarcity of water, some people have resorted to drawing water from shallow wells, which pose a health hazard as the trend can lead to an outbreak of epidemics such as cholera.

The situation has also prompted people, women in particular, to wake up very early in the morning in search of water.

Ms Harriet Sondashi of Messengers compound told the Daily Nation that finding water for household use was a major challenge and that if the situation was left unchecked, chances of cholera out breaking out were high.

"We are now living in fear of this situation because it may result in outbreak of cholera," she said.

Another resident, Ms Elizabeth Mwiinga of Kazomba, said it was sad that in the 21st Century people were still subjected to water shortages.

She said residents were being subjected to drawing water from shallow wells which she said were also drying up.

And Mr Joseph Kamona of urban area said issues of water should be addressed to the fullest so that people were not subjected to unnecessary suffering.

He said residents especially women were tired of carrying buckets of water on their heads.

Mr Kamona said the area had been experiencing water shortages for a long time now and that even pressure was very low.

“Our wives are forced to wake up as early as 04:00 hours to join the long queues at the nearest available water points to draw water. Now what kind of life is this?” he asked.

And Ms Marian Nkowani of Kandundu has challenged the water utility company to be innovative to boost water supply to residents in the affected areas.

She said people had even stopped using flush toilets and opted to dig pit latrines because of the water problem.

“Now, if all houses, for example, in Kandundu area start using pit latrines, how is the situation going to be? And as long as this water problem is not addressed in the quickest possible time, the situation will worsen,” she said.

She appealed to the water utility company to address the situation before an outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

But North Western Water and Sewerage Supply Company public relations officer Barbara Kalunga attributed the water blues to the breakdown of the main pipe that supplies water to the reservoir.