Govt avails funds for borehole drilling rigs

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has stepped up efforts to provide safe water in remote areas by ensuring that every province will have a borehole drilling rig, an official has said.

Zinwa spokesperson, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said the Government has availed funding to acquire the rigs.

“The availing of funds for the purchase of the rigs is part of the Government’s efforts towards improving people’s access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and is expected to alleviate the plight of many rural communities.

“This development will see a rig being stationed in every province for purposes of drilling boreholes for communities and institutions in need of water,” she said.

She said the idea behind the stationing of a rig in every province was to help reduce the mobilisation costs for borehole drilling.

“Mobilisation costs have been very high as rigs had to be moved from places far away from each other, making borehole drilling a quite expensive exercise beyond the reach of many individuals and institutions,” said Mrs Munyonga.

She added that this programme was not only targeting schools, but the wider community.

Mrs Munyonga said this new borehole drilling equipment acquired under the facility was expected in the country starting next month.