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The Zambian government has assured citizens and stakeholders that water supplied to Kitwe District and surrounding areas on the Copperbelt Province was safe, dismissing concerns raised by the U.S. government and other groups.
The U.S. government ordered the immediate withdrawal of all its personnel from Kitwe District and nearby areas affected by the Sino Metals mine tailings dam spill.
In a health alert posted on its official American Embassy Zambia Facebook page on August 6, 2025, the U.S. noted the presence of hazardous and carcinogenic substances, including arsenic, cyanide, uranium, and other heavy metals.
Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, addressed these concerns during a media briefing in Lusaka on Thursday, reassuring the public that laboratory results showed pH levels had returned to normal and that heavy metal concentrations were steadily decreasing, indicating that the immediate danger to humans, animals, and plants had been averted.
He stated that the serious implications on public health, water safety, agriculture, and the environment had been brought under control, and that there was no cause for alarm.
“The nation may recall that this incident occurred in February, more than six months ago. There is therefore absolutely no need to press the panic button today or alarm the nation and the international community,” Mweetwa said.
He noted that preliminary findings in February showed elevated levels of copper, cobalt, iron, manganese, zinc, and lead in selected sites near Chambeshi, Mwambashi, and the Kafue River confluence.
The Minister of Information and Media assured that appropriate remedial actions were taken immediately.
“As we speak, over 200 water and sediment samples have been collected and analyzed, compared to the few samples others have collected and based their arguments on,” he said.
Mweetwa added that preliminary results from 37 samples had been released, with 163 still undergoing testing by an independent laboratory, Alfred H. Knight in Kitwe.
He revealed that apart from three suspected cases of food and water-related illnesses in Ngabwe—where the patients have since fully recovered—no major health complications or outbreaks linked to the pollution had been recorded.
“Routine surveillance is ongoing, and no confirmed cases of acute heavy metal poisoning have been reported,” he said.
Mweetwa also disclosed that no deaths resulting from the pollution incident had occurred since February.
He emphasized government’s commitment to holding the polluter accountable, restoring affected areas, and preventing future incidents.
“Following this incident, government directed all mining and mineral processing companies to cease disposing of acidic tailings into dams without prior neutralization,” Mweetwa said.
He added that new tailings dams must comply with this requirement immediately, while existing facilities should transition by December 2025.
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