National Urban and Peri-Urban Sanitation Strategy (2015-2030).

The National Urban and Peri-Urban Sanitation Strategy (NUSS) provides a framework for financing and implementing the sanitation component of the National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (NUWSSP 2011-2030) in order to ensure improved health and economic well-being of all Zambian citizens in a sustainable and equitable manner. The instrument has a national coverage and refers to the period 2015-2030. In line with the NUWSSP, the implementation of the National Urban Sanitation Strategy aims to provide adequate, safe and cost-effective sanitation services to 90 percent of the urban population by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, the following specific objectives have been set: a) improve access to adequate and safe sanitation; b) manage sanitation facilities so as to reduce the incidence of water and vector-borne diseases and parasitic infestations; c) promote improved hygiene practices; and d) mitigate environmental degradation, through safe disposal of wastewater and sludge.
Equitable access to adequate and safe sanitation is recognized to be a basic human need. Implementation of the strategy should meet the needs of all communities in urban and peri-urban areas including low-income and informal settlements. Specific attention is required for the needs of women and children. The design of sanitation facilities must be user friendly and take into account the needs of vulnerable groups such as the people with physical disabilities. Environmental sustainability is another guiding principle: the environment and sanitation services are interlinked as poor sanitation pollutes the environment which in turn can pollute water bodies/resources. Therefore, all sanitation systems should be developed and implemented with the full sanitation chain in mind with a view towards safe treatment and disposal of effluents. Wherever feasible and economically viable, reuse and resource recovery should be core elements of urban sanitation projects which should be developed in line with principles of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).
The NUSS is structured into eight components addressing the most relevant aspects of urban sanitation. Objectives, sub objectives, outcomes and activities to overcome challenges in these eight areas of action in are defined under Chapter 3. The components are the following: 1) Advocacy, awareness raising and strengthening institutional framework; 2) Preparation of urban and peri-urban sanitation plans and prioritization of sanitation investments; 3) Sanitation-market development, improvement of sanitation facilities and hygiene behaviour; 4) Strengthening of Commercial Utilities on sanitation service chains; 5) Development of delegated management models; 6) Financing sanitation improvements and ensuring cost recovery; 7) Monitoring, regulation and enforcement; 8) Capacity building.
The document addresses development of specific areas of municipal management, notably solid waste management and (storm water) drainage. Regarding solid waste management, improvements are required to ensure that sanitation systems do not get blocked with solid waste. Regarding drainage development, the document stipulates that areas that are prone to flooding require improved drainage to ensure that sanitation systems are not flooded. Sewerage systems shall also used for drainage of grey water and other types of wastewater.