WASH News Southern Africa
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Zambia: Lusaka declares war against malaria, cholera
05 Nov 09
Lusaka District Commissioner Christah Kalulu is confident [that the city] will have fewer cases of cholera and malaria, and suffer less disaster than it has during rainy seasons over the past decade.This follows the successful implementation of the District Disaster Reduction (DDR) programme which was launched on August 18, 2009.By June 2009, 162 deaths occurred [...]
Africa: Water for People announces investment from Case Foundation to scale-up innovative rural water service models
05 Nov 09
Expanded effort to be based on social entrepreneurship, local involvement to provide multiple, sustainable water solutions.Water For People has announced a transformative investment from the Case Foundation to accelerate and expand its efforts to provide innovative, sustainable water solutions in Africa. This investment will be used to expand Water For People’s programs, using local entrepreneurs [...]
Southern Africa: lack of clean groundwater a health threat
05 Nov 09
As the rainy season approaches, and sewage from pit latrines seep further into the Zimbabwe’s groundwater, Irene Ngubeni will be at risk as the country faces another possible cholera outbreak.Even now, just before the rains have started falling Ngubeni is ill. She has travelled the 170 kilometres from her village in Matebeleland North to Bulawayo [...]
27 Oct 09
SOUTH AFRICA:Addressing Water WastagePatrick BurnettFrom: http://ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=48887CAPE TOWN, Oct 16 (IPS) – How do you fix a leaking pipe?You plug it, of course, but what if there are tens of thousands of water connections all with potentially leaking taps and toilets?To plug or replace all the faulty connections would cost tens of millions of dollars.Ronnie McKenzie, [...]
DR Congo, Kinshasa: millions have access to potable water because of unofficial distributors
26 Oct 09
A World Bank study revealed that only 22% of the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo has access to potable water, although the picture is brighter in the capital, Kinshasa, where 41.5% of residents have water service. Serge Ikamba, former counselor in charge of infrastructure for the Ministry of Public Health, blamed the shortage [...]
Mozambique, Niassa: loan agreement for signed with ADB for provincial towns water project
26 Oct 09
The Mozambican government and the African Development Bank signed a loan agreement in Maputo on 23 October 2009 to finance three projects, one of which is the Niassa Provincial Towns Water and Sanitation project.The ADB is providing credit of 27 million dollars to improve water supply and sanitation in Lichinga and Cuamba, the two major [...]
Zimbabwe: new cholera outbreak kills five
20 Oct 09
A fresh outbreak of cholera has killed five people from more than 100 recorded cases, state media reported, raising fears of a repeat of last year’s epidemic that claimed more than 4,000 lives.The southern African country suffered the continent’s worst cholera outbreak in 15 years between August 2008 and June this year after its [...]
Netherlands increases support to African water/sanitation sector
08 Oct 09
THE Netherlands government has increased financial support to some African countries in the water and sanitation sector, following concerns that some of them may not attain the Millennium development goals (MDGS).Netherlands ministry of foreign affairs senior advisor for water and sanitation, Dick Van Ginhoven, says US $ 150 million has so far been staked by [...]
South Africa: municipalities must have Blue Drop Status by 2010
08 Oct 09
Minister of Water Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica, said although the assessment process is very stringent and all water services providers must satisfy specific criteria to obtain the certificate, she would like to see all municipalities accredited ahead of 2010.The Blue Drop Certification Programme aims to see qualifying municipalities receive what is known as the “Blue Drop [...]
South Africa: latest water study reveals less water than estimated
07 Oct 09
South Africa has 4% less surface water resources than estimated in 1995, a new study published by the Water Research Commission (WRC) reveals.The Water Resources of South Africa 2005 study, funded by WRC and carried out by a consortium of consulting engineering and scientific firms, has broken new ground by delivering an integrated assessment of [...]
