The Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) would like to inform the general public that the second deadline for the registration of boreholes lapsed on 31st March, 2019 as earlier communicated. Hence, WARMA has now positioned itself for enforcement of the regulations forthwith.
Be further advised that there are on-going discussions with the line Ministry on the possibility to extend registration for existing domestic boreholes ONLY owing to some of the notable challenges experienced by the members of the public in their efforts to register their boreholes. However, kindly note that any possible extension will be restricted to domestic boreholes only. Illegal commercial borehole-owners will be penalised if they have not registered their boreholes and if they have not obtained the requisite Water Permits for their commercial abstraction of groundwater.
In the wake of the on-going discussions regarding the possibility of extending the registration period, members of the public are still being allowed to register their boreholes at WARMA or any of the Catchment offices or indeed through the online platform. We therefore, urge the public to take advantage of this window to hasten to register their boreholes rather than wait to be visited by the WARMA inspectorate team.
To date, 27,287 existing boreholes have been registered and 77 Drilling companies have been licenced out of the 96 currently registered. A total of 10,736 applications to drill boreholes were made, of which 18 were rejected. The latest full list of drilling companies will soon be published on the Authority’s Facebook page. The statistics given cover the current national status of the borehole registration exercise which commenced on 9th March, 2018 following the announcement of the Statutory Instruments.
Further information can be obtained from the WARMA Headquarters located on Plot Number 4186 at the corner of Addis Ababa Drive and Nangwenya Road or our Kasama, Kabwe, Mkushi, Mazabuka and Mongu Offices.
Remember: Zambia’s Waters! Our Future!!!