Privatisation of council water supply services: An evaluation of performance, efficiency and effort by the new water providers to improve service delivery: The case study of Lusaka Water and Sewerage company

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the effort, efficiency and performance of private water utilities to improve service delivery in Chawama Township, by Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC). 200 household heads who were selected using systematic sampling, were interviewed in addition to the Lusaka City Council Engineer and Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company's Director of Corporate Affairs. To evaluate performance and efficiency, benchmarks set up by NWASCO were used. Key findings are that Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company did not improve service delivery in Chawama. The following benchmarks were not met: (1) Unaccounted for water has not been reduced. (2 ) Hours of supply have not improved. (3)Water coverage has not improved. (4)Sanitation coverage is non-existent ( 5) Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company has not invested in water infrastructure, this in turn contributes to unaccounted for water. (6)Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company has not improved its staff efficiency, there are 15 workers to 1000 connections. (7)Collection efficiency has not improved as well.In order to improve service delivery in Chawama, Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company should invest in water infrastructure given that its infrastructure is old and dilapidated so that unaccounted for water is reduced and water supply is improved. Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company should reduce its workforce in order to reduce operational costs so that the money that is saved can be channelled into service provision.