Councils in bid to control water supplies
CABINET will make a final resolution on a bid by four local authorities to take over water treatment plants from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority after a commission appointed to look into the matter concluded its work.
The Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri who accompanied Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko during the commissioning of a new water treatment plant in Beitbridge town said the commission had submitted its report to her and the matter will be discussed in Cabinet in due course.
Beitbridge, Gwanda, Victoria Falls and Karoi want to take over the administration of water in their areas from Zinwa.
“We will soon be studying their recommendations and then table them in cabinet for a final decision,” she said.
e Minister said Government was working on a number of water projects countrywide.
She said they had successfully implemented a $30 million project with UNICEF and the Australian government, which involves the rehabilitation of waste water facilities under the ‘The Small Towns WASH Project’.
The programme, she said was running in 14 towns which include Zvishavane, Chiredzi, Chipinge, Chivhu, Gwanda, Shurugwi, Mutoko and Hwange among others.
“This programme went beyond just rehabilitating critical WASH infrastructure, but improved operational efficiency of water distribution, sewage collection and capacity building and made our local authorities viable.
“To cap it all, Information and Communication Technology equipment and modern billing systems were also installed to make bills accurately and timely,” said the Minister.
She said cyclone induced floods in the last rainy season had left a trail of destruction across the country with 230 dams giving in.
The Minister said the Government therefore had a mammoth task of constructing at least one dam in each of the country’s 59 districts.