Targets constructing 206 weirs

THE Government will this year construct more than 150 weirs across the country as part of its Command Water Harvesting Programme aimed at enhancing agricultural and social amenities activities in rural areas.

Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said 48 weirs had been constructed across the country since last year to date.

A total of 18 weirs have been constructed in Manicaland, Masvingo (eight), Mashonaland East (six), Matabeleland North (five), Matabeleland South (four), Midlands (three) and Mashonaland Central (one).

The Government has set a target of constructing 206 weirs under the Command Water Harvesting Programme.

“The total number of completed weirs now stands at 48 while construction work is underway at 158 weirs sites across the country. Of the 158 weirs under construction 30 are at least 80 percent complete,” said Mrs Munyonga.

A weir or low head dam is a barrier across the horizontal width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the river level.

“The expectation is that all the weirs under construction should be finished by year end.

“However, this depends on the participation of the beneficiary communities which, under the Command Water Harvesting Programme are providing labour and other necessary resources such as sand and rocks.

“The Government has provided adequate cement to see the construction projects through,” said Mrs Munyonga.

Construction of weirs began in 2017 after the 2015/2016 drought which saw nearly 4,1 million people being food insecure.

Water stored in the weirs will be used for irrigation of fields, at dip tanks, provision of drinking water for livestock as well as meeting other communal water requirements in order to boost water and food security.

In January, Treasury availed $80 million for the construction of dams after some were damaged during the floods that occurred during the 2016/2017 rainy season.

“The primary purpose of these weirs is to fill the water gaps that communities experience during the dry periods.

“As such the weirs will provide water for communities to use in watering their livestock, mould bricks, establish orchards and to provide water for amenities such as dip tanks.

“The communities can use the water for their gardening and the establishment of small holder irrigation projects, which in turn help in income generation, employment creation and food security.

“The weirs also enable communities to establish other water related projects such as fisheries,” said Mrs Munyonga.

As part of the Command Water Harvesting Programme Zinwa has also drilled 221 boreholes across the country and undertaken major water infrastructural development projects in Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces.

“As part of the Command Water Harvesting Programme, Zinwa has also drilled 221 boreholes around the country to provide drinking water to needy communities.

“This is in addition to off-take projects that help communities access water from Mtshabezi and Pungwe pipelines.

“The off-takes are now complete and communities are already benefiting,” said Mrs Munyonga.