Parly committees in war of words over Zinwa ops

TWO Parliamentary Portfolio Committees have clashed over the effectiveness of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) in providing water to the country giving conflicting assessment on whether the parastatal was able to meet its mandate.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Water, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has defended Zinwa saying it was carrying its mandate well as required by the law.

However, this endorsement comes a few months after the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, recently recommended that the water authority cedes the provision of potable water to local authorities and slash its tariffs.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Water, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Cde Wonder Mashange said Zinwa was meeting its mandate. Cde Mashange said this after the committee he chairs toured Zinwa facilities and water bodies across the country in recent weeks.

“When we heard that report coming from our sister committee it triggered us to have a proper analysis of the situation, looking at facts on the ground. Zinwa is meeting its mandate. I need to clarify that Zinwa’s mandate, according to the law is to plan, develop, maintain, design and construct water infrastructure,” he said.

Cde Mashange blamed local authorities for shortchanging residents by failing to pay Zinwa for raw water supplied. Zinwa is battling to recover over $146 million owed by local authorities in unpaid water charges. Cde Mashange said Zinwa’s tariffs for raw water were reasonable and local authorities had no basis to demand reduction of the charges. He also bemoaned lack of financial support to Zinwa from the Government as one of the factors affecting the water authority’s operations.

“The tariffs that Zinwa charges local authorities for raw water are quite reasonable. The challenge is that some local authorities, after getting water from Zinwa and billing residents, they don’t remit money to Zinwa. Some Government departments are also not paying Zinwa yet they expect the authority to continue supplying them with clean water. Where will Zinwa get money for chemicals and so on if its clients don’t pay,” he said.

On suggestions that Zinwa cedes the provision of potable water and sewer reticulation to local authorities, numbering 92, Cde Mashange said local authorities should prove capacity first before they are handed control of water and sewer.

“From our investigations, Zinwa handed over water and sewer reticulation to Gwanda but six months down the line the local authority had failed. It didn’t have the capacity. So what we are saying is for those that have capacity, Zinwa can handover but an assessment has to done first,” he said.

Zinwa has begun installation of prepaid water meters for local authorities as it seeks to improve service delivery, revenue collection as well as contain a ballooning debtors’ book. Cabinet recently approved that Zinwa installs prepaid water meters to all its clients, which include local authorities, irrigators, individual consumers, Government departments, mines and other institutions. Zinwa has successfully piloted the prepaid water meter project in Gwanda and Beitbridge.