Kazungula Water and Sanitation Project launched

The Government of the Republic of Zambia, in partnership with the Southern African Development Community Fund for Water Infrastructure and Basic Sanitation (SADC Water Fund), launched the Kazungula Water and Basic Sanitation Project construction.

Kazungula Water and Sanitation Project is situated in a border village between Botswana and Zambia. The water project which aims to improve access to clean water and hygienic conditions for residents of Kazungula District, will be developed in phases. The first phase of the Project will include the construction of a new water intake to improve access to clean and safe drinking water. The second and third phases will focus on improving the sewage system with an upgrade of the water treatment plant and the improvement of communal sanitation facilities.

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Kazungula Water and Sanitation Project

The project will also include community education and awareness of the importance of clean water and sanitation for good health and hygiene. In addition, a 200kW PV hybrid grid tied system will be installed as an alternative energy source to reduce dependency on scarce hydropower and ensure that the facility is climate change resilient.

Once operational in 2024, the Project will cater to a population of approximately 13,000 people. Considering that the current population is about 10,000 inhabitants, this will provide services for an additional 3,000 future beneficiaries. The improvements will have a direct impact on the existing population, through improved service delivery and reliability of the system.

The US $10M project is being funded by the SADC Water Fund which is hosted and managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) on behalf of SADC, with the support of the German Government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and KfW Development Bank. The Zambian Government is co-financing the Project as part of its commitment to the SADC regional integration agenda in infrastructure development and working towards sustainable development of the water sector for a socially and economically developed SADC Region.