LWSC shuts down Chongwe treatment plant

The Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company has shut down the Chongwe water treatment plant following the drying up of Chongwe River.

In a statement, Interim Managing Director, Manuel Mutale says that measures have been put in place to immediately start transporting water by road from Lusaka into Chongwe until the rainy season.

He says the utility is working closely with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit under the office of the Vice President to deal with the matter.

Mr. Mutale says the effects of global warming are real and that the utility has already put in place measures to mitigate the situation in the long term by drilling some boreholes about 11 kilometers away from Chongwe town .

He says this project is underway and once logistical issues are all in place, the well field will be done to mitigate the dry seasons in Chongwe district.

Mr Mutale has further urged the customers to also show responsibility by conserving water during the dry season in order to ease the pressure of increased demand during this period of the year.

Chongwe town does not have ground water making it a challenge to drill boreholes in the district.