THE Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWASCO) has restored water supply to all police camps in Southern Province after the Government made a part payment of about K149 million towards the outstanding water bills for police amounting to more than K327 million.

SWASCO managing director, Alfred Masupha, said in a Press release that the company had now reconnected all police camps in Southern Province that had been disconnected since August 2009.

Mr Masupha said the outstanding amount for all police camps in the province was more than K327 million as at September 30, and the payment made leaves the police with an outstanding balance of about K178 million.

He thanked the Government for intervening, saying the move had greatly helped both the police in the province and the water company.

Mr Masupha said the payment made would assist SWASCO to continue providing a sustainable service to its consumers in the province and meet its obligations with suppliers and service providers while the restoration of water supply to police camps will help prevent outbreaks of diseases, especially that the rainy season was just around the corner.

He reiterated that it was not the desire of his company to withdraw water supply from its customers but it was only done when all other available options proved futile.

Mr Masupha encouraged the police to ensure that the outstanding bill of about K178 million was quickly paid to avoid being disconnected again and to ensure that the bill did not accrue to levels that will be difficult to manage by the police in the province.

Meanwhile, Mr Masupha said SWASCO has received and installed a new coupling that had broken down on one of the pumps at the raw water intake in Livingstone, causing a strain on the water supply in the tourist capital in the last fortnight.

He said the installation of the third pump at the Zambezi Raw Water Intake will greatly help normalise the water supply in the city.

Mr Masupha paid tribute to the provincial administration, the civic leaders and all the residents of Livingstone, especially the hospitals and schools, for their patience and understanding during the breakdown at the Raw Water Intake.