Parliamentary Caucus on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) on Wednesday backed calls for a ban on galvanised pipes in water supply systems, saying corrosion from such materials threatens water quality and public health.
Caucus chairperson, Mutinta Twaambo, said galvanised pipes were prone to corrosion, particularly in areas with aggressive groundwater, and should be replaced with safer materials.
He was speaking during an engagement with Javan Nkhosi under the Stop the Rot Campaign in Lusaka.
The campaign is coordinated by the NGO WASH Forum and supported by the SKAT Foundation, UNICEF, WaterAid Zambia, World Vision, Aquaquest, ECHO ECHO and the Waterloo Foundation, with co-financing from the European Union.
Twaambo said corrosion reduced infrastructure lifespan, increased maintenance costs and heightened the risk of waterborne disease.
Read More: Lusaka’s €130 million sewer upgrade to benefit 1.2 million residents —Minister Nzovu
In his remarks, Nkhosi urged the government to enforce regulations requiring more durable materials such as high-density polyethylene and stainless-steel pipes.
Nkhosi said corrosion of galvanised handpump components had been documented for more than 40 years in Zambia, yet remained unresolved.
He said aggressive groundwater with low pH eroded zinc coatings on pipes within months, causing water to become rusty and unfit for drinking.
He added that mitigation measures had been absent from all four National Water Policy documents since independence, and called on Parliament to hold the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation accountable.
Nkhosi also recommended the creation of a Rural Water Authority to oversee water point sources and strengthen regulation.
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