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Beitbridge Bureau
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (zinwa) requires $1,6 million to complete the construction of a water treatment plant to end perennial water woes that have dogged Beitbridge Town for years.
zinwa’s resident Engineer for Beitbridge, Davison Madondo, told members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government recently that they needed the money to pay a Chinese contractor before they start pumping water into people’s homes.
The parliamentarians visited local authorities in Bulawayo, Lupane, Hwange, Binga, Umguza, Gwanda, Beitbridge and Chiredzi to assess the state of service delivery.
Eng Madondo said the project was initiated in 2011, but took long to complete due to the shortage of resources.
“Financial challenges have contributed to the delays in making the project operational.
“As of now, the project is substantially complete with pump test runs outstanding.
“Civil works were completed 12 month ago but the test run can only be carried out once the company that supplied six high pressure and two low pressure pumps, along with two compressors, is fully paid,” he said.
He said close to $10 million was spent on the project. The new water treatment plant has a pumping capacity of 2 160 cubic metres of water per hour.
An estimated 50 000 people live in Beitbridge and require 15 000 cubic metres of water a day.
zinwa is only managing 3 000 cubic metres at the moment.
Speaking during the same tour, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio committee on Local Government, Cde Irene Zindi promised to engage Government over the matter.
“We need to engage the Government to ensure that the access to potable water, which is a basic human right, is made a priority.
“You will note that the issue of water management is very common in most local authorities we have visited so far and we are of the view that the local authorities be allowed to run their own water affairs judging from the challenges zinwa is having in that area,” she said.
Cde Zindi said most councils were battling to settle zinwa bills.
Online Reporter