This report, Consultation Draft for the Zambia Water Account, represents the first ever attempt at producing water accounts for the Republic of Zambia, following the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA), which aims at giving stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback to the work so far, such that a better version of the water accounts can be produced.
The global push for economic development has brought with it increased pressure on water resources such as the loss and degradation of freshwater ecosystems; pollution leading to contamination; increased occurrence of waterborne diseases; and the effects of climate change. Zambia has not been spared from these issues and is particularly disadvantaged due to the limited provision of basic services. Water management under such circumstances is very challenging and frequently risks being ineffective. However, Water Accounts present a unique opportunity for dealing with the challenges of water management because of their ability to integrate both environmental and economic data with respect to water supply and use.