Kansanshi Mining signs MOU to provide Piped Water to Mushitala community
In its continued quest to improve the welfare and livelihood of the host communities, Kansanshi Mining PLC. “Kansanshi Mine” has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the North Western Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited (NWWSSCL) for the provision of piped water to the Mushitala community, along the Old Congo Road in Solwezi District.
In this MOU, Kansanshi Mine shall provide to NWWSSCL a Grant, in the sum of Six million, six hundred thousand Kwacha (ZMW 6.6 Million) worth of material and financial support, towards the project.
On the other hand, NWWSSCL shall design and execute the project. This project is expected to connect over 150 households and other public facilities to piped water, and is expected to be completed within 90 days.
The Grant, which is part of Kansanshi Mine’s Corporate Social Responsibility, aims at creating a conducive environment for the surrounding community because the Company believes access to safe, clean water is a priority for social development. Clean water is a basic necessity for life, and when supply is improved and sustainable, it significantly enhances a community’s economic growth, because water is at the center of economic and social development.
Kansanshi Mining PLC. Environmental Manager, Arnold Malambo signed on behalf of the Mine while Austin Mungo, Director Finance, signed on behalf of the Water Utility.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mr. Arnold Malambo said the project is intended to improve the welfare of the south community, adjacent to the mine lease. “The project is to benefit the community adjacent to the Mine Lease around the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), we collaborated with our partners North Western Water Supply and Sanitation Company Limited who initially had planned to take water to the community but due to lack of resources, the project would have not been implemented soon.”
“It was against this premise that we got into some discussions in which North Western Water Supply and Sanitation Company requested that we help fund the project which they would implement, they provided us with the Bill of Quantities of around six point six million kwacha (ZMW 6.6 million) which the mine has undertaken to sponsor as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, this is with an understanding that the project will be executed in 90 days,” he added. Meanwhile, North Western Water and Sanitation Company Limited Director Finance, Austin Mungo, said “the need to provide water to various communities around Solwezi cannot be overemphasised.
We have a mandate to provide clean, safe drinking water in North Western Province and this gesture will go a long way in achieving this dream.
We want to thank Kansanshi for coming along as a partner with North-western Water and realizing the fact that provision of this service to the community is a necessity.
We are grateful that this partnership will continue from here until the project is finished. We are also grateful for the fact that Kansanshi has provided funding towards this project”, he added.
Currently, through the help of Kansanshi Mine, the utility company is providing water to the Mushitala Community using a Water Bowser.
