Hwange Colliery, ZPC to partner in water project

Bulawayo Bureau
COMMUNITIES under Chief Hwange in Hwange District are set to benefit from a project to draw water from the Zambezi River, which is being spearheaded by Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL), and the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC).

The two companies are working on constructing a water pipeline from the Zambezi River to Hwange town, with numerous outlets into schools, clinics and villages.

It could not be established how much would be injected into the project.

The Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs, Cain Mathema, told a stakeholders meeting in Hwange recently that HCCL and ZPC had agreed to work together on a project that is set to result in the creation of irrigation schemes for the community and fight hunger.

He said ZPC had started laying a new pipe from the Zambezi River to Hwange while HCCL is refurbishing its old water pipe.

“We are here because Chiefs have asked for water for their communities. I spoke to ZPC and Hwange Colliery who have written a letter that they are formally accepting to provide water,” said Minister Mathema.

“Formally I have also agreed and am engaging the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) and District Development Fund (DDF) to come on board because they are the engineers.”

Hwange town already uses water from the Zambezi River which is drawn through a pipeline installed by the coal mining company.

Minister Mathema said engineers from the two State companies had surveyed the area to work on possible outlets where communities would draw water to schools and homesteads.

The outlets will be 15km apart.

Communities under Chiefs Shana, Nekatambe, Nelukoba and Mvuthu will also benefit under similar projects to be developed at a later stage, Minister Mathema said.