Mulonga Water to upgrade water network in 2014

MULONGA Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) says next year it will focus on upgrading its water network infrastructure and sanitation facilities to improve service delivery following the acquisition of the K573 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
And MWSC has said revenue collection from non-mining customers has increased from K1.8 million a year ago to K3.2 million.
MWSC acting managing director Kanyembo Ndhlovu said the company is committed to meeting customer expectations on service delivery.
“Next year will be a busy year for us, as we carry out various works on our infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Ndhlovu was speaking during the end-of-year media briefing and cocktail held at Protea Hotel last Friday.
He said a bigger part of the company’s infrastructure requires rehabilitation works.
Mr Ndhlovu said some of the ongoing rehabilitation works in Mufulira and Chingola are expected to be completed by March 2014.
He said the company was operating at 40 to 41 percent capacity as the pipelines were not holding the pressure.
“These are some of the challenges we are facing as a water utility firm,” he said.
MWSC operates in three predominant mining areas in Chingola, Chililabombwe and Mufulira.
He said the billing has been maintained at K7.2 million, while collection of revenue from domestic customers has increased from K1.8 million to K3.2 million.
He said the debt stood at K70 million with the government debt standing at K12 million.
“The matter of considering the K70 million as a bad debt, can only be handled by the board of directors at the company,” he said.
Mr Ndhlovu said the sale of water to the mining companies had reduced and the company was mainly expanding its services to domestic customers.
He said one of the mining companies has down-scaled on its operations.
And on Zambia Water and Sanitation programme, Mr Ndhlovu said the company was looking at improving its services and the revenue collection in low income areas.
Meanwhile, Mr Ndhlovu said MWSC will have to strategise with the municipalities on how best to deal with servicing of new land being opened up for development.
“Servicing of new land for development is a new initiative, which requires concerted efforts by all stakeholders,” he said.
And Radio Ichengelo station manager Nicholas Mubanga said the water utility firm requires checks and balances from the media to perfect its operations.
“There are two dangers of being complacent and negligent when people have a monopoly of doing business,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Daily Mail has been awarded a certificate of recognition of consistent coverage of Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) operations in 2013.
MWSC acting managing director presented the award to acting Bureau Chief Chishala Musonda during the end of year Media briefing, which was held at Protea Hotel in Chingola last Friday.
Mr Ndhlovu said the company will work with the media in pushing their company agenda forward through enhanced service delivery.
“Whether bad or good stories written on us, we will award the media concerned,” he said.
Radio Ichengelo, a community radio station based in Kitwe, was also awarded with the most consistent coverage in electronic media.
Others are The Post newspaper, which was also awarded recognition of advocacy role in water and sanitation service delivery.
While Chingola-based electronic media organisation, The Independent Observer was also awarded the recognition of advocacy role in water and sanitation service delivery.

SOURCE: Zambia Daily Mail