Gwanda to refurbish water treatment plant
GWANDA Municipality is working towards refurbishing its water treatment plant to boost water supply in line with its population growth.
The council has said the refurbishment of the water treatment plant is one of the top priority projects for this year.
Gwanda Town’s water supply system requires a total overhaul to ensure constant supply. Council pumps 5 000 cubic metres of water per day, a sharp decline from 10 000 cubic metres in 2022.
Residents have expressed concern over the municipality’s capacity to manage water systems as water cuts continue to dog the Matabeleland South provincial capital.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) handed over the management of water treatment plants to Gwanda and Beitbridge municipalities following a Government directive.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious
Masuka, presided over the historic handover ceremony of water treatment plants and water affairs to the two local authorities in line with the Second Republic’s devolution agenda.
Facilitating higher quality water and sanitation services is a top priority as the country moves towards attaining an upper-middle income status by 2030.
Gwanda mayor Councillor Thulani Moyo said when the local authority inherited the water treatment plant from Zinwa, its carrying capacity had depreciated.
“When we inherited the water treatment plant from Zinwa it was dilapidated, we are working on refurbishing it to improve the water supply to the residents. In its current state, its carrying capacity cannot meet the demands of the whole town,” he said.
“Our main priority in the first quarter is to ensure that our residents have an efficient water supply, as our town seeks to attain city status. Some stakeholders are willing to help us in the refurbishment of the plant.”
Clr Moyo said perennial water challenges in Gwanda are affecting service delivery.
“As a local authority, we wish to pump water to the residents for 24 hours a day, but we have erratic water supply problems. Our water treatment plant which used to pump