Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection says Copperbelt Province has been a huge beneficiary of the water and sanitation projects in the country.
Speaking when he inspected the Kafulafuta Water Project in Masaiti district, Dr. Jonas Chanda noted that the projects that are currently running in the Province are close to US$1 billion.
Dr. Chanda said the Kafulafuta Water Development project which is costing about US$449 million is in line with government’s vision 2030, 7th National Development Plan, and also the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whose aim is to provide universal access to safe and clean water to all and improving sanitation services by the year 2030 without leaving anyone behind.
“When you look at the vision 2030 and the 7th National Development Plan, the strategic plan for the Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection and also the Sustainable Development Goals, is to provide universal access to safe and clean water to everyone and improving sanitation services by the year 2030 without leaving anyone behind.So the project that we are seeing here is very much in line with government’s vision in 2030 and the 7th National Development Plan.”
“This Kafulafuta water development project is costing US$449 million, and I should actually thank his Excellency because Copperbelt Province has been a huge beneficiary of the water and sanitation projects,” Dr. Chanda said.
He added that the project will benefit one million people in Ndola, Mpongwe, Masaiti and Luanshya districts some of whom have had no access to clean and safe water since time immemorial.
“So this alone is close to half a billion dollars and this project is going to benefit one million people in Ndola, Mpongwe, Masaiti and Luanshya. Some of these areas have had no water at all so it will be the first time in their lives that the will be having access to clean and safe water,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Dr. Chanda said sectors such as Tourism, Livestock and Fisheries, agriculture, and other areas of the economy will also benefit from the project.
“This project will also come with other benefits you know that water supply is a major issue that we have fish farming, agriculture, tourism and other sectors of the economy. Ministries don’t work in isolation, there is integration and multisectorial approach so while we are dealing with water supply, you will find that there are other sectors that will benefit,” Dr. Chanda added.
And Copperbelt Minister Japhen Mwakalombe says once completed, the water project will help change the lives of people for the better as most of them have already benefited from the direct and indirect jobs that have been created.
“As the Provincial Administration, we acknowledge the benefits that this pump has come with, and one of the benefits that we have seen is that already jobs have been created, direct and indirect but also local contractors we have seen capacity building, these people who are contractors here have been working with our sub-contractors.”
“I want to thank the President for the job that he has been doing and I think after completion of this project, the lives of people around here will change for the better as most of them have already benefited from the jobs that have been created,” Mr. Mwakalombe said.
The construction of the US$ 449 million Kafulafuta Water Supply System Project was launched by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, on 21st September, 2018 in Masaiti District, on the Copperbelt Province.
The project is aimed at improving water supply in Ndola, Luanshya, Mpongwe, and Masaiti Districts targeting One million beneficiaries and 160, 000 cubic meters of water will be extracted from the 125 million cubic meter dam every day to supply the four towns.