By 
The government has commenced urgent infrastructure works at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to stabilise and improve water supply, following persistent challenges that have disrupted healthcare delivery at Zambia’s largest medical facility.
The intervention is being spearheaded by the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development.
LWSC Public Relations Manager, Ruth Mukuwa, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lusaka, said the works form part of a phased programme to restore full functionality of UTH’s water and sanitation systems and bolster the hospital’s long-term infrastructure resilience.
She said the strategy includes immediate emergency measures, medium-term upgrades, and long-term sustainability efforts.
Among the critical works underway is the reconfiguration of UTH’s main water transmission pipelines at the hospital’s distribution centre.
“This involves isolating the leaking ground reservoirs and reconfiguring the pipe network to redirect water to surface steel tanks and lift it directly to elevated storage using the old booster station,” Mukuwa explained.
Additional emergency works included the operationalisation of UTH boreholes at the Libala well field, which entails maintenance of electromechanical equipment and provision of an alternative power supply to the boreholes.
Further efforts include the replacement of the old water supply line from Libala Water Works to UTH, intended to serve as a backup to the Stuart Park water supply line.
“These steps are designed to improve supply reliability and reduce dependence on a single water source,” Mukuwa said.
She added that critical hospital zones such as E Block, G Block, and the Emergency Centre would benefit from pipeline repairs, as well as replacement of damaged valves, taps, and plumbing fittings. Rehabilitation of toilets and bathrooms in affected wards is also planned.
“Technical teams are conducting site inspections and performance tests, and procurement processes for materials and services have already commenced,” she noted.
Mukuwa added that the engagement of a contractor for the pipeline reconfiguration is in progress, while LWSC will also rehabilitate the borehole electromechanical equipment.
Read More: Suffering policemen at Chiwempala police station get running water after 34 years
Commenting on the initiative, LWSC Managing Director Jilly Chiyombwe reaffirmed the utility’s commitment to providing technical support.
“UTH is a critical institution in our national health infrastructure. We are working closely with government and hospital management to ensure that sustainable water supply solutions are implemented as quickly as possible to support uninterrupted healthcare delivery,” Chiyombwe said.
He noted that in the medium term, UTH’s internal water distribution network would undergo comprehensive rehabilitation to address inefficiencies and leakages.
In the long term, plans include training in-house engineering staff, implementing a preventive maintenance schedule, and rehabilitating the concrete ground reservoir, pending structural assessments.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments