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The Zambian government has launched the 2024 Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Report, outlining key policy, legislative, and investment priorities aimed at strengthening the country’s water and sanitation systems amid mounting climate and public health pressures.
Speaking at the launch in Lusaka, Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Eng. Collins Nzovu, described the report as a strategic guide for reform, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of water and sanitation regulation in Zambia.
He said the milestone marked a moment of reflection and renewed commitment to transparency, accountability, and innovation in the sector.
“Water is life. Sanitation is dignity. These are the foundations of national development,” Nzovu said, underscoring the alignment of the sector with the Eighth National Development Plan, Vision 2030, and Sustainable Development Goal No. 6.
Despite recorded progress, Nzovu acknowledged enduring sector challenges including ageing infrastructure, non-revenue water (NRW) levels exceeding 50 percent, pollution, vandalism, and climate change impacts.
“To address these gaps, the Ministry has embarked on transformative policy and legal reforms,” he said, citing the adoption of the 2024 National Water Policy and the anticipated Water Supply and Sanitation Bill, expected to be presented to Parliament by September 2025.
In response to one of Zambia’s worst droughts, Nzovu announced a comprehensive Drought Response Plan that included dam maintenance, borehole construction, distribution of water pumps, and feasibility studies for large dam projects.
He also cited notable success in containing cholera outbreaks, attributing it to improved hygiene awareness, upgraded sanitation facilities, and the disbursement of K5 million to utilities for pre-rainy season preparedness.
Nzovu lamented the high levels of non-revenue water, describing them as unsustainable and largely due to system inefficiencies and illegal water use.
He said a dedicated task force was currently implementing the 2022–2026 Non-Revenue Water Management Strategy to curb the losses.
Nzovu also noted that stagnant water tariffs over the past five years had hindered operations by commercial utilities, and revealed that discussions are underway to revise tariffs in a manner that balances consumer affordability with financial viability.
The Minister applauded cooperating partners, including GIZ and UNICEF, for their ongoing technical and material support—ranging from water meters and lab equipment to protective gear.
Also speaking at the launch, National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) Board Chairperson, Sylvester Hibajene, presented the regulator’s 2024 Sector Report, reinforcing the council’s commitment to achieving universal access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation services.
Hibajene noted that the launch coincided with NWASCO’s 25th anniversary and emphasized the significance of the report as a tool for monitoring utility performance, closing service delivery gaps, and improving sector resilience.
He highlighted the council’s mid-term review and subsequent revision of its 2024–2026 Strategic Plan, which now places stronger emphasis on rural water supply, faecal sludge management, and onsite sanitation.
Despite the external shocks of droughts and cholera outbreaks, NWASCO achieved a 79 percent implementation rate in the plan’s first phase.
To enhance institutional capacity and governance, Hibajene said NWASCO—working with GIZ-NEWZA—facilitated corporate governance training for senior utility staff in Luapula, Lusaka, and North Western provinces.
He also pointed to collaborative efforts with Parliament and ministries to clarify service roles and address regulatory gaps in rural areas.
While reaffirming NWASCO’s vigilance on non-revenue water, Hibajene cited ongoing interventions using ZEEST-supported technology to reduce losses and improve operational efficiency.
“Utilities must embrace innovation, compete for excellence, and deliver on their mandate to the people,” he urged, congratulating top-performing service providers and encouraging lagging ones to raise their standards in pursuit of SDG 6 and Zambia’s Vision 2030.
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