In Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, 60 % of the water for public supply stem from the local groundwater resource. Lacking sanitation provision causes groundwater pollution and puts the resource at high risk. The use of untreated water from shallow wells in unplanned settlements is one factor leading to outbreaks of cholera. These outbreaks occur annually during the rainy season when groundwater levels rise and pit latrines are flooded. From 8th to 10th February 2011 an interactive workshop took place in Fringilla, near Lusaka. This workshop was convened and organized by the GReSP project, BGR Groundwater Section and the BMZ/BGR sector project Policy Advice Groundwater. Co-organizer was the Water and Sanitation Association of Zambia (WASAZA) and the water programme of GIZ Zambia co-financed the event. The workshop addressed senior technical staff from various sectors including hydrogeologists, sanitation experts and town planners. The participants were asked to develop a To-Do-list, naming activities for the joint improvement of the situation in the selected unplanned settlements (George and Chunga). It became obvious that groundwater protection and an improvement of basic sanitation have to go hand in hand. In the Lusaka context, sustainable sanitation options must take high groundwater tables into consideration.

Bibliographic information

Nick, A., Krüger, K., Vaessen, V., Kang'ombi, K., Hetzel, F. (2011). Groundwater protection and its link to sustainable sanitation and town planning Workshop report

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Zambia

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