The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA)has predicted that most boreholes with the high groundwater pumping rate in Lusaka are likely to dry up by August and September 2024.
This includes areas like Chalala, Makeni, Lusaka West and Chongwe.
WARMA Senior Public Relations and Communications Officer Smart Kalaluka told RCV News in a statement that the Authority has also observed insufficient groundwater recharge in 84 drought affected districts.
“The current prolonged drought has caused groundwater levels to drop, especially in Southern, Western, Eastern, and parts of Lusaka Provinces”, said Mr. Kalaluka.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kalaluka said the Authority has granted 152 water permits out of a total number of 152 water permit applications received during the drought emergence response for various commercial activities bringing a total cumulative number of water permits in the Authority’s database to 2,294.
He said the issued Water Permits comprise of 83 surface water permits and 69 groundwater permits to operationalize various economic sectors such as agriculture, recreation, industry, aquaculture and mining.
Mr. Kalaluka has encouraged members of the public to engage qualified and registered geophysical consultants to carry out borehole sitting to avoid drilling shallow boreholes that are prone to drying up.
He has further urged the public to be conservative in the use of water to enhance resilience during the drought period.
By Margaret Mwanza
