Large quantities of effluents are discharged into the environment from various mining operations on the Copperbelt. These effluents are frequently discharged into local rivers, and streams. Water pollution may also be caused by the run-off from mine waste dumps. Water pollution in the Copperbelt has also been brought about by activities indirectly linked to mining. For instance, the depressed state of the Zambian economy and its main engine the mining industry from the 1970s to the 1990s, led to the deterioration of public water and sewage treatment systems. This tended to exacerbate the problem of water pollution.

There are a number of significant environmental and health dangers associated with water pollution on the Copperbelt, including the following:

	Pollution of domestic water supplies;
	Contamination of aquatic life—this can endanger humans who eat contaminated fish for instance and also impact negatively on the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems;
	Contamination of fruit and vegetables through polluted ground water.

Water Pollution Mitigation Measures

There are several mitigation measures that can be implemented to tackle the problem of water pollution on the Copperbelt, such as the following:

	Enforcement of appropriate environmental rules and regulations to curb the practice of mining companies discharging toxic materials into the rivers and streams of the Copperbelt;
	Installation of water quality monitoring systems;
	Restoration of the Copperbelt’s water and sewage treatment facilities;
	Proper management and maintenance of mine waste dumps to prevent toxic run-offs;
	Public awareness campaigns to sensitise the public to specific local hazards in terms of contaminated water bodies.

The Copperbelt Environment Project is implementing routine water monitoring of within its areas of operations. Other remediation works include dredging of heavily silted Luanshya river as well the main Canal in Kabwe and maintenance of damps to reduce on siltation into the natural environment.