• Reference: P-ZM-E00-005
• Approval date: 17/12/2003
• Start date: 16/12/2004
• Appraisal Date: 16/09/2003
• Status: OngoingOnGo
• Implementing Agency: GOVERNMENT OF ZAMBIA
• Location: Central Province

The Eight Towns Water supply and Sanitation Project will cover the eight towns in Central Province. The project will include water supply, sanitation, solid waste management and institutional support components. The physical works will consist primarily of rehabilitation of the existing facilities with extensions to meet future demand. The project will also provide support for the establishment of the Commercially viable water and sanitation Utility (CU) that will operate the water and sewerage facilities of the eight towns including institutional support and technical assistance for efficient operation of the schemes.

The main components are:

A.Water Supply: This will entail rehabilitation of existing sources (groundwater and/or surface water) and transmission mains as well as development of new sources to meet 2010 demand, rehabilitation and extension of water treatment and storage facilities as well as water distribution networks.

B.Sanitation: This will involve rationalization of existing sewerage schemes, rehabilitation and expansion of sewer reticulation, sewage treatment plants and pumping stations. It wi ll also involve provision of on-site sanitation facilities in the smaller towns and low income and peri-urban areas of larger towns as well as public information / education on water and health i ssues including HIV/AIDS.

C.Solid Waste Management: This component will involve development of solid waste collection and transfer systems and development of appropriate landfill sites.

D.Establishment of CU: The 6 Participating Local Authorities (PLAs) in the 8 towns will establish one Commercial Water Utili ty which will be provided with technical assistance to introduce commercial operations in the water supply and sanitation services.

To rehabilitate, extend and introduce commercial utility management in water supply, sanitation and solid waste management services in Central Province.

The need to improve the water supply and sanitation in the project areas, Chibombo, Chisamba, Kabwe, Kapiri-Mposhi, Mkushi, Mumbwa, Serenje and Nampundwe, is a high priority for the Government of Mozambique as well as for the population of the 8 project towns.

The project concept is a logical result of the National Water Supply and Sanitation Study for Seven Centres in Central Province financed by the Bank, and completed in 2002. The study, and subsequent feasibility studies confirm the need to improve wat er supply and sanitation, and solid waste schemes in the Central Province. The worn-out water production and supply infrastructure can no longer cater for the growing population.

As part of reforms of the water sector the Zambian government decide d to transfer the operation of water supply schemes to local governments in 1997/8. A common feature of the water supply and sanitation in Central Province is that they lack autonomy and commercial orientation, resulting in poor service levels and financial performance

One of the main objectives of the project is to support the for mation of Commercial Utilities to manage the provision of water supply and sanitation services along commercial lines. With PSP, it is hoped to improve the service delivery, marketing, billing and collection, including recovery of arrears payment. Investment in water supply infrastructure rehabilitation and extension is pre-requisite for the introduction of the private sector and is required to rationalise the system.

The project, which focuses on urban centers, will complement the on-going Bank Group financed Central Province Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project, and the two activities will signif icantly contribute to the attainment of the targets of the Millennium Development Goals in the Province in particular and in Zambia.

In formulating the project the following considerations have been taken into account:

(i) involve the key stakeholders through informing them of the benefits and through a continuous dialogue,

(ii) place the project within the objectives of the sector reforms

(iii) relate the project to the Banks vision and strategy. The project is in line with the Banks strategy for intervention in sectors that the Zambian government has prioritised to alleviate poverty.

The project will improve the populations access to clean, reliable and affordable water supply, sanitation and solid waste management services for the 265,552 people currently living in the 8 towns. Access to clean water and sanitation services will reduce the incidence of water bourne deceases, reduce the burden on women from fetching water from distant sources, minimise the time spent out of school hours by children particularly girls to fetch water, and household expenditure on water for poor households who purchase water from vendors at high prices. The project will therefore lead to an improvement of the living conditions of the affected rural population

ASSEFAW Mecuria - OWAS2

Finance source	Amount
ADF	UAC 22,030,000
Government	UAC 2,588,830
Delta	UAC 270
Total	UAC 24,619,100