Gutu RDC, Zinwa in row over water supplies

AN argument is brewing between Gutu Rural District Council and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority over the control of water supply to residents.

Gutu RDC chief executive Mr Alexander Mtembwa said the local authority was finding it difficult to address incessant water cuts given that Zinwa was in charge, yet most of the residents were complaining to the council.

He said council had approached Government over the issue and it was still waiting for a response.

“We have approached the Ministry of Local Government , Public Works and National Housing over the issue of water, as Zinwa seems to be holding on to water rights,” said Mr Mtembwa.

He said the standoff was stalling progress on efforts to attract investments to the local authority as many investors were asking for a guarantee on uninterrupted water supply.

“It has become difficult for us to convince investors on the availability of water, as we do not have control over it,” said Mr Mtembwa. “The world over, residents are billed by their local authorities for the use of water and council will always be answerable when there are water cuts.

“We are found wanting when our residents complain of incessant water cuts because it is not within our purview. The pipe line system from the tanks is ours, while Zinwa owns water purification plant, which we also have the capacity to run.

“The ideal situation is where Zinwa stops controlling water meant for residents. The parastatal should only wait for us, as a local authority, to pay to them and not for our residents to pay directly to them.”

A residents association, Gutu Apex, has also petitioned the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate over the same matter, calling for it to transfer the control of water from Zinwa to Gutu RDC citing obtaining challenges.

The apex chairman, Mr Simbabrashe Tarugarira, accused Zinwa of failing to attend to the problem of bursting of water pipes.

“We have made it clear that we will go into the streets if Zinwa keeps on refusing to hand over the control of water to council,” he said. “They take time to connect water in some suburbs and failing to attend to problems of burst pipes.

“We have also petitioned the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate over the matter and we hope, we will get a satisfactory response.”

Efforts to get a comment from Zinwa officials were not successful.