Lusaka water company decries continued vandalization of infrastructure, estimates current losses at K200,000

The Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company has condemned the ongoing vandalism of key water infrastructure, highlighting that thieves have exploited power outages to damage and steal vital cables worth approximately K200,000.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Company Public Relations Manager, Ruth Mukuwa, revealed that crucial water sources, including the Malofarm and Avondale Boreholes, had been impacted.

The Malofarm Boreholes supply water to Ndeke Village, while the Avondale Boreholes serve New Avondale and parts of Old Avondale.

Other affected sources include the Chakunkula Borehole, which serves part of Kamanga, and the International School Boreholes, which supply water to Kalundu and Roma via the Mass Media Booster station.

Mukuwa said the vandalism had significantly disrupted water supply to various parts of Lusaka, leading to severe financial losses for the utility company.

“This destructive act has significantly disrupted water supply to selected parts of Lusaka and caused financial losses amounting to approximately two hundred thousand kwacha (K200,000),” she said.

As a result, the affected sources have experienced reduced water inflow, leading to ongoing supply interruptions and low water pressure in many areas.

Additionally, the company has reported an increase in load management hours, with some areas receiving only two hours of power supply daily, further hindering the ability to pump water from groundwater sources.

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“This situation hinders the pumping of water from groundwater sources, worsening the challenges faced by our customers,” Mukuwa added.

She expressed gratitude to customers for their patience during this challenging period and urged residents to use water responsibly.

“We are working with ZESCO to address the damage and restore normal water supply. We appeal to the public to work with us in safeguarding essential infrastructure and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities,” Mukuwa urged.

The company emphasised the importance of protecting critical infrastructure to ensure a stable and reliable water supply for the people of Lusaka.

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