Gwanda water challenges ease

GWANDA mayor, Thulani Moyo, says water challenges in the Matabeleland South province capital have eased with residents allegedly now receiving steady supplies.

However, incessant pipe bursts and load shedding were causing water supply disruptions, Moyo said.

Moyo said they were attending to pipe leakages with the assistance of a local mining company.

“We receive raw water from Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) at a cost of ZWL$400 million per month,” he said.

“We have cash flow challenges and sometimes we are forced to delay workers’ salaries to pay Zinwa first so that residents have a continuous supply of water.”

Residents of the town have for years endured water challenges emanating from a dispute between council and Zinwa over the ownership of water reticulation infrastructure.

Government authorised Zinwa to take over all water functions countrywide in 2006, a decision that was later reversed following protests from local authorities.

But Zinwa still controls water supply and sewer infrastructure of some councils such as Gwanda.

At one point, Zinwa threatened to install bulk water meters at the main reservoir to stop the municipality from accessing treated water without paying.

The bulk water meters were targeted at the Gwanda municipality which obtains water from Zinwa for onward transmission to the town’s residents.

“The only time when water taps run dry is when there is load shedding especially if it extends beyond two days,” Moyo said.

Gwanda United Residents Association chairperson, Collet Moyo, also said water challenges had eased.