Gelsenwasser and the Lukanga Water Supply and Sanitation Company have been in an operator partnership since 2021. In July 2025, two specialists from the Zambian utility company, Frank Kalumba (engineer) and Mainza Hamwaka (network operations manager), visited Gelsenwasser to gain insights into German water supply processes. These job shadowing programmes, along with trips to Zambia, are an integral part of operator partnerships and take place regularly. In July 2025, the focus of the work shadowing programme was on pipe network maintenance: leaks must be detected, documented and repaired – a problem that greatly affects the Zambian operator due to outdated pipes.
The visit was accompanied by the employer initiative KOMMUNAL KANN, which documented the partnership-based cooperation in a video report.
The video impressively shows how a municipal water supplier from Gelsenkirchen and a Zambian utility company are working together to find solutions to global challenges, demonstrating that municipal commitment does not end at national borders.
Gelsenwasser’s project engineer for network calculation, Lutz Gödeke, and his colleagues from the fields of plant mechanics, geomatics and geographical information systems (GIS) report on their personal experiences with international cooperation in this article. They provide practical insights into the implementation of water supply and show how expertise can be shared and utilised worldwide.
KOMMUNAL-KANN intern Marvin Wildhage accompanies the Zambian guests throughout their stay, illustrating one of the key priorities of the operator partnership: reducing water losses. This is a particularly pressing issue in Zambia, where in some regions up to 88 per cent of treated water is lost on its way to households.
Watch the video on our website or on YouTube. The video will soon be available with English subtitles.
The water and wastewater supply sector remains a male-dominated field. Women are significantly underrepresented in the water sector, for example due to lower recruitment rates, limited career development opportunities, or the industry being perceived as less attractive overall. Nevertheless, there are promising approaches to breaking down existing barriers and making the industry more diverse and inclusive.
What is KOMMUNAL KANN?
With its KOMMUNAL KANN employer initiative, the VKU is sending a strong signal that the municipal sector is an attractive place to work. Videos featuring ‘intern’ Marvin Wildhage break down clichés and show municipal companies as innovative, dynamic and diverse employers that are shaping the future of society. The videos highlight the diversity and range of professions and tasks in the industry in order to get young people excited about the municipal sector.
Find more videos from the initiative on YouTube.
