Sanitation no longer a cousin of water in Lusaka

Sanitation no longer a cousin of water in Lusaka
By Simon Mwale and Kennedy Mayumbelo
Mon 22 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT

THE theme for this year's World Water Day is “Clean water for a healthy world.” The catch-word is “clean” because although there is a vast quantity of water in the world, this water is not suitable for direct human consumption unless it is treated. But when we talk about water, we cannot do so without making reference to sanitation because the two are like hand-in-glove or, to use the current street lingo, they are like a cell phone and its sim card.

Improved water supply and sanitation projects impact in various areas of life, from health to time savings to social status. While access to water supply and sanitation has improved in the last 20 years, it has been neither as widespread nor as rapid as had been expected.

What is sanitation? According to the Water Supply and Sanitation Act number 28 of 1997, sanitation services means:

a) the disposal, on site or off-site of human excreata,

b) the collection of sewage excluding untreated toxic waste and storm water, from residential, commercial or industrial sources; or

c) the treatment and disposal of waste water in accordance with the Act, the Environment Protection and Pollution Control Act or any other written law.

Simply stated, however, sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from hazards of wastes to promote good health. Good sanitation and hygiene has clear and distinct benefits and improves health. Poorly controlled waste means daily exposure to an unpleasant environment.

More specially, improved sanitation saves lives by reducing diarrhea-related disease, ensures a clean environment free from pollution and garbage while promoting personal dignity.

Water and sewerage companies like Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company ( LWSC) have an important, and we dare say, a mandatory, or compulsory role to play in providing good sanitation. In ensuring good sanitation, LWSC and its counterparts are responsible for

a) treating and supply of adequate clean and safe water to all customers,
b) collecting and disposing of waste water in their service areas and
c) extending sanitation services to areas not serviced.

In line with this year's theme, LWSC has already commenced the provision of sanitation in peri-urban areas. This follows the development of the sanitation strategy with support from the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Programme-Africa for effective service delivery of water and sanitation services to the peri-urban areas.

The sanitation strategy document expounds a roadmap for expanding sanitation and hygiene promotion services to Lusaka's peri-urban area based on a sanitation marketing approach.

In an effort to elevate attention and action on sanitation, LWSC introduced a sanitation levy and set up a sanitation fund to be used to improve sanitation in the peri-urban areas.

A sanitation marketing approach has been chosen to test in Lusaka to give people a choice, to ensure financial sustainability, and to promote behavior change. Lusaka will be the fore-runner on the use of this approach and in applying the strategy programmatically. Financing will no longer guide the process and implemented activities. The strategy will guide all players under the leadership of LWSC.

LWSC has set up a sanitation unit within the peri-urban department to spearhead the roll out of the sanitation programme in the peri-urban areas. The unit is in the process of constructing 200 toilets in Kanyama, Chaisa and Chipata compounds under the promoting peri-urban sanitation services (PPURSS) Project which is being financed by the European Union through CARE International and LWSC through the sanitation fund.

Training of artisans of the three areas was conducted for 45 artisans from Sept 22 to 24, 2009 on general building skills, but more inclined to improved latrine construction. The Artisans were drawn from the three beneficiary communities and the response was overwhelming.

A demonstration toilet has been completed for a 103-year-old woman of Kanyama while 99 are still under construction.

In the long term, LWSC intends to build water borne toilets as the sanitation service to the peri-urban areas. Designs and bills of quantities for Kanyama and Kalingalinga are being finalised. To this end, efforts are being made to source for financial support for this task and 2010 will prove to be real year of sanitation for Lusaka's peri-urban.