The European Investment Bank (EIB) and German development bank KfW are providing funds of €102.5-million and €33-million respectively to the Lusaka Sanitation Programme, marking another step in the important and timely realisation of the initiative to expand access to safe sanitation.

The disbursement of financing for the Lusaka Sanitation Programme will support the transformation of public health in Zambia capital Lusaka through improved access to sanitation for 525 000 families, the expansion of wastewater treatment at two new plants in Chunga and Ngwerere and the construction of 520 km of sewerage pipes.

“The close cooperation with Zambian and international partners, including long-term financing and technical expertise provided by the EIB and KfW over recent years, is now delivering and contributing to Zambia’s Vision 2030,” said Lusaka Water and Sanitation Company MD Jonathan Kampata.

The scale of the project being implemented by the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company has required intensive technical preparations to maximise the impact of the scheme.

Progress in technical planning and project preparation for the Lusaka Sanitation Programme has enabled the first €2.7-million to be disbursed by the EIB and KfW.

The EIB will provide €102.5-million and KfW a €33-million grant for the overall project, alongside the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Zambia government.

“This marks a key milestone in the project that enables the first financing to be provided by EIB and KfW for rehabilitation of two wastewater treatment works in the city and complement other parts of the citywide scheme already underway,” added EIB VP Thomas Ostros, noting that accelerating high-impact sanitation investment is crucial to strengthen public health resilience to Covid-19 and deliver sustainable urban development.

Access rates to safe sanitation are not increasing fast enough, and boosting the wastewater treatment capacity in Lusaka with support of the German government will form the backbone for upscaling access to safe sanitation and hygiene, particularly for poor households.

“By reducing the ground and surface water contamination, the increased wastewater treatment capacity will contribute to improving the quality of scarce water resources,” said Ambassador of Germany to Zambia and Comesa special representative Anne Wagner-Mitchell.

The Lusaka Sanitation Programme will reduce prevalence of water borne disease and pollution in local rivers.

The EIB, which has supported water, energy, transport, agriculture and private sector investment across Zambia since 1978, is also supporting new investment to upgrade and expand water and wastewater services provided by the Mulonga Water Supply and Sanitation Company on the Copperbelt.

German cooperation, through KfW, is supporting the Zambian government in its pursuit of universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene, particularly in the Luapula, Eastern and Southern provinces.

KfW has supported Zambia since 1965 on behalf of the German federal government with more than €900-million, mainly financing infrastructure projects improving access to water and sanitation, transport and basic infrastructure in provinces and, more recently, also energy and agriculture.