WARMA Calls for Urgent Action on Rising Water Levels and Encroachment in Northern Province
The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) has urged stakeholders in Northern Province to step up efforts in protecting the region’s water bodies, amid growing threats of encroachment and rising water levels.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement meeting at the Provincial Administration offices in Kasama on Thursday, Acting Director General of WARMA, Mrs Misozi Ngulube-Lumpa, said safeguarding Zambia’s water resources was a matter of urgent national priority.
“Water sustains life, supports agriculture, powers industries, and maintains the health of our ecosystems. Protecting it requires collective responsibility, practical solutions, and sustained commitment,” she said.
Mrs Ngulube-Lumpa highlighted several challenges facing Northern Province, including population growth, climate change, illegal artisanal mining, encroachment on water bodies, and inadequate infrastructure to harness resources. She noted that uncoordinated development around headwaters and recharge zones had intensified the strain.
A key concern is the rising water level in Lake Tanganyika, which has already displaced communities and damaged infrastructure in areas such as Mpulungu Harbour, Kasaba Bay, Nsumbu Bay, and Chituta Bay. Data shows the lake has risen by more than 3.7 metres since 2006, with an additional 30 centimetres recorded in June this year.
“The trend is likely to worsen, and immediate, coordinated action is required to protect lives and property,” Mrs Ngulube-Lumpa warned.
WARMA has partnered with the Lake Tanganyika Authority to establish buffer zones and develop construction guidelines near the shoreline. Other measures include public sensitisation campaigns, climate change awareness programmes, capacity building for district officers, mapping of protection areas, and the development of a Water Quality Information System.
The Acting Director General called on the Provincial Administration and government departments to provide leadership by enforcing regulations, mobilising resources, and strengthening partnerships with water utilities and communities.
“Schools, homes, and lakeshore infrastructure have already been submerged in recent rainy seasons. We must act together to secure sustainable access to safe water for present and future generations,” she stressed.
The meeting, attended by senior government officials, water utility representatives, and the media, underscored the urgency of coordinated stakeholder action to safeguard Zambia’s water resources.
