Villagers struggle for clean, safe water

A CRITICAL shortage of safe and clean drinking water has hit Livingstone’s Mulala, Samson and Nyanzabili Villages in Shungu ward.

Residents have complained that they do not have piped water and although the area has five boreholes to cater for over 1, 000 families, only three are working.

They have called on the water utility company, SWASCO to look into their plight by providing a water bowser to be delivering water to address the situation.

This came to light during a community mobilisation meeting led by PF Livingstone constituency aspiring candidate Ikuka Muleta, former acting Livingstone District Commissioner James Zimba and other party officials.

The residents observed that for a very long time, they have had a challenge of water in their areas.

And Nyanzabili headman Jackson Nyambe Muliwana said, the boreholes are not enough to cater for all the families in the area as they take long hours to access the commodity.

Mr Muliwana, however called on the government to consider sinking more boreholes to lessen the burden of residents especially women from standing for long hours in queues and fighting for water.

He said that the situation leaves much to be desired. When contacted, Southern Water and Sanitation Company (SWASCO) Public Relations Manager Lungowe Mutumwenu said, the water utility does not supply water to these areas due to limitations of their water supply network.

Ms Mutumwenu said that SWASCO would however consider the residents’ plight.

Meanwhile, Mr Muleta has encouraged the affected communities to mobilise and establish committees and apply for Constituency Development Fund (CDF) so that more boreholes can be sunk.

He said that now that the CDF was available, communities must apply for the funds provided they have viable proposals.