a visit to zambia

Working in partnership to support WaterAid

Working in partnership to support WaterAid

We believe that clean water should be available to everyone, everywhere, today and for future generations. That’s why we’re proud to work with our partners, Northumbrian Water Group (NWG), in supporting WaterAid, a leading international charity with one goal: to change the world through water. Along with decent toilets and good hygiene, a reliable supply of clean water is essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity.

Sometimes, it’s easy to take water for granted in the UK – with the twist of a tap, it flows freely. However, around the world, nearly 1 in 10 people don’t have access to clean water at home. Instead, many rely on rivers, ponds and hand-dug holes, which are often far away and polluted by waste. Climate change is making life harder for people who are already struggling to access clean water.

Raising vital money to bring clean water and good hygiene to communities worldwide

Across the world, 703 million people – nearly 1 in 10 – still lack clean water close to home, and almost one in five people don’t have access to a decent toilet of their own. Worldwide, 703 million people do not have clean water close to home. Almost 2 billion people in the world – one in four – lack soap and/or water to wash their hands at home, if they have a place at all.

The money given to WaterAid helps fund their work alongside communities in 22 countries to secure these three essentials – clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene.. In turn, people’s lives are transformed because they no longer face diseases caused by poor sanitation and dirty water.

Our passionate volunteers support numerous events across the North East of England, meaning that our partnership work with Northumbrian Water and WaterAid is truly grounded in our local communities, helping to get the water and sanitation crisis to the forefront of people’s minds.

We also sponsor Northumbrian Water’s annual charity golf day which raises thousands of pounds every year. The 2025 event raised over £10,000 to support WaterAid.

Working together for positive change

In Zambia, nearly a third of the country’s 20 million people lack access to clean water. Three in five people, don’t have a decent toilet of their own, and four in five people don’t have soap and/or water to wash their hands at home.

Climate change is causing weather extremes, from prolonged droughts to flooding at different times of the year. That means people have to walk further to find water. Often, the only water available is dirty, which makes people sick. Every day, already fragile water supplies are at even greater risk of disappearing altogether.

Together with Northumbrian Water and WaterAid, we are working to change this. With clean water, babies are born healthier, children grow up stronger, women and girls spend less time collecting water and more time in work or school, and whole communities thrive.

Changing lives in Zambia

United Infrastructure was part of a delegation that included NWG and WaterAid, which recently visited Zambia as part of NWG’s strategic water operator partnership (SWOP) with Kafubu Water and Sanitation Company Limited (KWSC), a partnership facilitated by WaterAid.

The trip included a visit to the recently constructed Kafulafuta Dam, the Nakaputa Service Reservoir, and a demonstration of a hand pump water system at Kanyenda clinic in Masaiti.

This knowledge-sharing initiative is expected to benefit both Northumbrian Water Limited and KWSC, enhancing their services to customers in the UK and Zambia.

Key discussions included:

Water Distribution and Supply: Strategies for efficient water distribution and reduction of Non-Revenue Water
Wastewater Management: Best practices for wastewater treatment and disposal
Operational Efficiency: Optimizing resources and reducing costs
Customer Service: Enhancing customer satisfaction and engagement

We look forward to continuing our support for many years to come as we work towards WaterAid’s goal of a world where everyone, everywhere, has clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene.

“Our recent visit to Zambia helped build on the unique partnership between water and sanitation experts in Zambia and in the UK, providing a valuable exchange of knowledge and technical skills. By working together, we can help change the lives of thousands of people with clean water, which is the foundation for good health and a life full of opportunity.”

Jill Ratcliffe, Water industry partnerships manager at WaterAid

“Northumbrian Water’s partnership with United Infrastructure, Farrans Construction, Bentley’s, Esh, and Gowland & Dawson is a fantastic opportunity to share learning with Kafubu Water and Sewage Company in Zambia. By visiting the team in Zambia with the support of WaterAid, we have started to build a solid relationship with the team and gain a mutual understanding of the challenges and opportunities we each face. Whilst it was personally difficult to see first hand the everyday experiences of those who don’t have access to clean water and sanitation, it was also an uplifting experience to explore with the Kafubu team the opportunities to make a significant positive difference to the people and communities we saw.”

Louise Hunter, Director of Customer & Corporate Services at NWG

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share knowledge and expertise, and make a real difference to people’s lives in Zambia. We take for granted easy and unlimited access to clean water and toilets, but many people in Zambia do not have these provisions. By sharing knowledge with KWSC water company, we hope to be able to help bridge the skills gap and improve the country’s water and wastewater provision and infrastructure.”

Working in partnership to support WaterAid