Government Moves to Tackle Lusaka’s Worsening Water Shortages

"With demand far outstripping supply and more than half of treated water lost before reaching consumers, Zambia has launched an ambitious project aimed at transforming water access in the capital city." 

By Daily News Reporter 

In many parts of Lusaka, water has become more than a basic necessity — it is now a daily uncertainty.

For some residents, the day begins before sunrise with the sound of empty containers being rolled through dusty streets in search of communal taps. In rapidly growing settlements on the outskirts of the capital, families often wait hours for water tankers or rely on unsafe alternatives when taps run dry.

But on Friday, the Government of Zambia signaled what officials describe as a major turning point in the city’s long-running water challenges.

At a stakeholder consultative meeting in Lusaka, the Government officially launched the feasibility study for the Lusaka City Water Supply Improvement Project — an ambitious intervention designed to modernise the city’s ageing water infrastructure, expand supply networks, and reduce massive water losses that have crippled service delivery for years.

Officials say the project comes at a critical moment for a city growing faster than its water system can support.

Speaking during the launch, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation, Engineer Romas Kamanga, warned that rapid urbanisation, population growth, and increasing demand for clean water are placing enormous pressure on the capital’s supply system.

His remarks were delivered by Assistant Director for Water Supply, Engineer Pasca Mwila.

“The project represents an important step towards addressing growing pressure on Lusaka’s water supply system,” Engineer Kamanga said, adding that the intervention would help improve access to safe and reliable water services.

According to Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company Managing Director Engineer Jilly Chiyombwe, Lusaka currently requires approximately 480,000 cubic metres of water per day. Yet current production stands at only about 258,070 cubic metres.

(LWSC Managing Director Engineer Jilly Chiyombwe)

In practical terms, it means thousands of households experience intermittent supply, low water pressure, or prolonged periods without running water altogether.

The problem is made worse by what experts call “Non-Revenue Water” — treated water that is lost before it reaches paying customers because of leaking pipes, illegal connections, faulty meters, or outdated infrastructure.

Engineer Chiyombwe disclosed that Non-Revenue Water currently stands at approximately 52 percent, meaning more than half of the water produced is effectively disappearing from the system.

For a city already struggling to meet demand, the figure highlights the scale of inefficiency facing the sector.

To confront the challenge, the project proposes sweeping upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure.

Plans include the rehabilitation and replacement of about 270 kilometres of water reticulation infrastructure, construction of roughly 340 kilometres of new distribution pipelines, rehabilitation of reservoirs and pump stations, establishment of 21 District Metered Areas, replacement of customer meters, and development of additional groundwater sources.

Water experts say the creation of District Metered Areas could become a game changer in reducing water losses. The system allows utilities to isolate sections of the network, monitor water flow more accurately, detect leaks faster, and improve maintenance efficiency.

Beyond infrastructure, the project also reflects broader concerns about urban growth in Zambia’s capital.

Over the last two decades, Lusaka has expanded rapidly, with new residential settlements emerging faster than public infrastructure can keep pace. Informal settlements, in particular, remain vulnerable to poor sanitation, inadequate drainage, and unreliable water access.

Periods of drought and declining groundwater recharge are increasing pressure on already strained water systems, forcing authorities to rethink how cities manage water security in the future.

For many residents, the hope is that the project will finally deliver lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes.

And while the feasibility study marks only the beginning of the process, development partners say the initiative represents an important investment in Zambia’s urban future.

Speaking on behalf of the African Development Bank Country Manager, Mr. Kennedy Wishimanga reaffirmed the Bank’s support for Zambia’s water sector transformation.

The African Development Bank, through the African Water Facility and the Middle Income Countries Technical Assistance Fund, is contributing more than €1.26 million in grant financing toward the project’s total cost of €1.51 million.

The feasibility study, engineering designs, environmental and social assessments, and preparation of tender documents are expected to be completed within 12 months, from March 2026 to March 2027.

For a city where access to water increasingly defines quality of life, the success of the project may ultimately determine whether Lusaka can keep pace with its own growth — or continue struggling against a crisis flowing beneath its streets.