9 June 2025, Kazungula, Zambia: The Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Government of the Republic of Zambia and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) are pleased to announce the commissioning of the Kazungula Water Project on 9th June 2025. His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema of the Republic of Zambia, represented by Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Collins Nzovu, commissioned this significant initiative, aimed at enhancing water security and sanitation infrastructure along the strategic SADC North-South Corridor.
The Kazungula Water Project encompasses extensive infrastructure upgrades and construction, which includes a new raw water intake facility on the Zambezi River, upgraded water treatment works, bulk water pipelines, and over 29 kilometers of primary and secondary distribution networks. The project also includes construction of community kiosks to ensure reliable access to potable water for lower-income residents, a modern pumping station, and storage reservoirs. Furthermore, the installation of a 220kV solar photovoltaic (PV) array and battery banks ensures the project's independence from the national electricity grid, enabling uninterrupted service delivery even in the event of power disruptions.
The Kazungula Water Project was funded by the German Government through the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and KfW Development Bank to the tune of โฌ12 million, alongside a 10% investment contribution from the Zambian Government. The SADC Project Preparation and Development Facility (PPDF) further provided the additional preparation financing of approximately โฌ985,000.