Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The French Government, through the French Agency for Development [AFD], has given Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company [MWSC] 50 Million Euros about K390 million support for rehabilitation and expansion of water supply services in Mufulira, Chingola and Chililabombwe Districts on the Copperbelt Province.
The project, France’s first operation in water and sanitation in Zambia, is targeted at ensuring that urgent improvements are done to water and sanitation infrastructure in Mufulira, Chingola and Chililabombwe.
The investment, backed by a 20 year long-term financing facility, will benefit a population of 460, 000 inhabitants on the Copperbelt.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda signed on behalf of Zambia while Martha Stein-Sochas, Head of the AFD’s Regional Office for Southern Africa, signed on behalf of France.
Speaking at a signing ceremony for the agreement, Mr. Chikwanda said like in many parts of Zambia, most existing water reticulation infrastructure in the targeted districts is more than 50 years old and under massive pressure in meeting the ever growing demand for water and sanitation services.
Mr Chikwanda says government has embarked on fast paced economic development, thereby increasing the demand for utilities and services.
He however, notes that the pace of expanding the capacity of utility companies has not been fast enough, not only for the benefit of urban precincts, but also peri-urban and rural areas as well,but that this will soon be a by-gone for Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company.
Mr Chikwanda says the three-towns-water-supply-programme will effectively improve the ancient water supply infrastructure and facilitate provision of not only reliable, but also expanded reticulation services to the current and previously unserved low-income areas, with the overall objective of poverty reduction and national development.
He states that the implementation of the programme is expected to take 6 years and will not only generate significant local employment, but also ensure steady supply of water for the massive infrastructure development and other economic activities in the targeted areas.
The K390 million from AFD represents only a part of the overall project cost totaling K1.2 billion with the Republic of Zambia and the European Investment Bank (EIB) providing respectively K156 million and K585 million.
And Head of the AFD’s Regional Office for Southern Africa Martha Stein-Sochas has said the project includes a specific focus on improving water and sanitation services in informal settlements.
She says the rehabilitation and construction of infrastructure will cover water intakes, treatment plants, pumping stations, reservoirs and supply and distribution networks of each municipal water system, as well as the sewers, lagoons and wastewater treatment plants for the sewerage system.
Ms Stein-Sochas adds that it is expected that 25,000 new households will have access to clean water for the first time.
Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Zambia Emmanuel Cohet has disclosed that through, AFD, France has over the last five years provided EUR 110 million in long-term loans in Zambia.
He says this includes support for transport infrastructural development like the upgrade of the Great East Road.