Command rain water harvesting begins

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has begun constructing weirs and small dams in communal areas across the country as part of the Government’s Command Rain Water Harvesting Programme aimed at harnessing water from floods and excessive rains.

A weir is an impermeable barrier constructed across a river to raise the water level on the upstream side and reduce the flow of water in a river.

Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, last week said the main objective of the programme was to improve communities’ access to water.

Mrs Munyonga said the programme was targeting communal areas where weir dams and small dams were being constructed in every rural ward.

She said specific emphasis would be in dry areas, particularly Matabeleland South and North, Masvingo and the south western parts of the country.

“The programme targets every rural ward in the country. Most of the existing dams in the country have largely benefited urban areas and estates and the Command Water Harvesting Programme targets the communal areas,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said the programme would also help improve food security by ensuring that communities have access to water for agricultural purposes.

“Water harvested under the programme shall be used for gardens, livestock, dip tanks and other uses beneficial to the communities during the dry period. This will go a long way in improving food security and agricultural productivity,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said the implementation of the programme is being funded by the benefiting communities, who through their local leadership structure are responsible for resource mobilisation. She said Zinwa would provide the technical expertise.

“Communities, through their leadership structures such as MPs, councillors and chiefs are responsible for the mobilisation of resources; hence the programme is communally funded using local resources,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said although the rainy 2016/17 season was over some rivers still have flowing water which could still be harvested through construction of dams.

“The rain season may be over but there are many rivers that are still flowing. As such, once a structure is put in place along a river, it can start holding water this season though more water is expected to be harvested in the next rain season,” she said.

The country received above normal rainfall in the 2016/2017 rainy season, but most of the water is feared to have been lost due to lack of efficient water harvesting system, both at community and household level.

During the 2015/2016 rainy season the Government, through Zinwa embarked on a campaign to sensitise people about water harvesting and conservation.

Rain water harvesting also involves collecting water from suitable surfaces on which rain falls and preserving it for future use.

Normally, rain water is collected from roof tops and stored in water tanks. Zinwa has been on record dispelling the myth that rain water harvesting was only possible when the rains were heavy, encouraging people to practice the concept even during relatively dry seasons.