11/08/2026
OLD WATER PIPES AFFECT CHILILABOMBWE'S MOVE TOWARDS FULL WATER SUPPLY
BY DINA SOKO
Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation Company says it is working to ensure that Chililabombwe District operates at full water supply capacity, but the continued bursting of old water pipes is slowing down progress.
Mulonga Water Managing Director Ndila Hamalambo says a leak has developed on the 21-inch pipeline carrying water from the Kafue intake to the Chililabombwe treatment plant, reducing water production by almost 50 percent.
Mr. Hamalambo says the leak, which was detected last week Thursday and has persisted into Tuesday morning, has affected the amount of water reaching the treatment plant.
He, however, says the district has an alternative water source from the mine, which passes through the sedimentation tank.
Mr. Hamalambo says Mulonga Water has spent the past year working on the sedimentation tank, with the civil works now completed and the water stream operational.
He says the company is now very close to achieving full water supply capacity in Chililabombwe, but the latest pipeline leak has caused delays.
Mr. Hamalambo has warned that residents may experience intermittent water supply over the next few weeks as the company works to repair the damaged pipeline.
Meanwhile, Chililabombwe District Commissioner Kelly Jibinga says the latest pipe burst is a setback to efforts to meet commitments made to residents following improvements to the district’s water infrastructure.
Mr. Jibinga says the improvements were undertaken following the directive by President Hakainde Hichilema for Chililabombwe to have adequate water supply.
He has appealed to residents to bear with Mulonga Water, noting that a pipe burst last Thursday resulted in water shortages in some townships.
Mr. Jibinga says the previous burst was worked on from Thursday through Friday and into early Saturday, with expectations that water supply would return to normal.
However, he says the district has recorded another pipe burst this morning, describing the development as a setback.
The District Commissioner says Mulonga Water has procured 17-inch pipes to replace some of the old pipes that continue to burst.
He says most of the affected pipes were installed many years ago and have become prone to frequent breakdowns.
