Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls Municipality management has come under fire from residents who want the local authority to take over water management from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
Chinotimba and Mkhosana residents usually go for days on end without water and the municipality blames Zinwa for failing to pump enough raw water.
Speaking at a recent residents meeting, some residents accused councillors and management of being weak on the issue.
“Council always say it is Zinwa’s fault but we don’t deal with Zinwa. Residents deal with council not Zinwa. If the council cannot deal with the issue let’s demonstrate and force Zinwa out of town,” said a resident.
A senior citizen Mr Christopher Ndiweni added: “Failure to have water is in your hands because you are not doing anything about it.”
Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association Mr Morgen Dube said residents are not happy because they are being overcharged for water.
The municipality reportedly pays in excess of $20 000 per week to Zinwa for raw water pumping.
Speaking during a full council meeting on Thursday, councillors said urgent measures were needed.
Cllr Thuso Moyo said council should consult residents and other local authorities on how they have handled similar situations.
Cllrs Ephias Mambume and Edmore Zhou concurred, adding that a permanent solution is needed as residents are suffering.
Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said the local authority had appealed to Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Cde July Moyo for help.
“We really have a serious issue which is critical in the sense that we are a tourist destination and face of the country. Our challenge is that we don’t manage abstraction which is being done by Zinwa who are doing a disservice to the town,” said Mr Dube.
He said Zinwa has no capacity to supply water to the town owing to lack of resources and obsolete equipment.
“A commission of inquiry came and a report was prepared but nothing came out of it,” said Mr Dube.
“A fortnight ago we took Minister Moyo to the pump station on the Zambezi River and he was also concerned after finding the site unmanned,” he said.
The local authority believes it has better capacity than Zinwa to solve the perennial water problem.
Mr Dube said the council will next year roll out the $12 million Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programme to improve water management.
“Wash will improve our situation as we will now have reservoirs to keep water for a reasonable time because right now once electricity is cut water stops pumping. We’re also planning to acquire a new pump and alternative power source because Zesa doesn’t notify us when they switch off electricity which negatively affects water,” added Mr Dube.
Zinwa spokesperson Mrs Marjorie Munyonga could not be reached on her mobile phone and had not responded to questions emailed to her. —@ncubeleon
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