Confusion has continued between Chipata City Council and Eastern Water and Sewerage Company over the construction of houses near sewer ponds.
Chipata City Council has been allocating residential plots close to the sewer ponds, which has led to the utility company failing to connect the sewer line to the ponds.
A check conducted by Eastern Water and Sewerage Company and Chipata City Council Planners on Thursday revealed that the local authority is still giving plots to people to construct houses close to the sewer ponds.
And speaking to the media one of the developers, Samuel Mwafulira says the plot was given to him by the local authority adding that paper work and survey was done, which made him start constructing the house.
Mr. Mwafulira says nothing will stop him from building his house because he has been told to go ahead with the construction by the Council.
And Eastern Water and Sewerage Company Technical Manager Aaron Mulinda says the structures have to be destroyed to pave way for the connection of sewer lines to the ponds.
Mr. Mulinda says any structure has to be constructed 500 meters away from the ponds adding that the houses which are being put up near the ponds will block the smooth running of the faecal matter into the ponds.
Meanwhile District Sewerage Operations Superintendent Joel Kapasa says the people constructing near the ponds will be affected with effluence whenever the pipes are blocked.
Mr. Kapasa says the construction of the houses close to the ponds is also a danger to human lives adding that the breeding of mosquitoes in the ponds will spread malaria.
But when contacted for a comment Chipata City Council Director of Planning Kaonga Namenda indicated that the local authority will only issue a comprehensive statement on the matter after discussing the issue with Eastern Water and Sewerage Company.