USAID to construct 80 high quality water points in Kalomo

THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is to construct 80 high quality water points in public locations of Kalomo district of Southern province.

The USAID funded ‘Expanding Water and Sanitation project’ which aims at increasing access to safe water and sanitation also plans to rehabilitate 40 dysfunctional water points to the highest standard quality in the district.

USAID chief of party representative, Victor Mwewa discloses to Zanis that the water points are to be constructed and rehabilitated in selected villages, schools and health facilities of Kalomo under the project’s fiveyear lifespan.

Mr. Mwewa says that his organisation is committed towards contributing to increased access to safe water and sanitation in an effort to accelerate progress towards achieving sustainable development goal Six (SDG 6), towards the attainment of universal access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030.

The project is also to support the District Water and Sanitation Health Education (D-WASHE) committee to facilitate the construction of basic sanitation facilities at household level in Sipatunyana and Siachitema chiefdoms of Kalomo.

“A comprehensive WASH baseline survey carried in 12 target districts recently, showed that 61.3 per cent of the population is using unimproved sanitation facilities in rural growth centres and 51.2 per cent in rural areas. Further, the baseline results indicated that only 33.8 per cent of households had access to water supply services while 27.5 per cent had limited access to water sources while 19.8 per cent are practicing open defecation. Hence, the project identified Kalomo and Kazungula in Southern province as districts in need of support,” part of the baseline survey indicates.

Mr. Mwewa further says the project will conduct extensive awareness and behavioural change campaigns and work closely with D-WASHE committees and other stakeholders to support capacity building activities to the construction of improved toilets by households in rural Kalomo.

“In this regard, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the expanding water and sanitation project, expanding WASH project in partnership with the Zambian government is supporting commercial utilities, local authorities and other stakeholders to accelerate change in the WASH private sector engagement concept in Zambia,” Mr. Mwewa states.

And Kalomo town council water and sanitation coordinator, Nchimunya Sakala has welcomed the development saying the project would close up the water provision deficit to the rural masses as envisioned by the Presidential directives of water supply to all public facilities.