Online Reporter
Bokang Tlou
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has launched a national operation targeting illegal bulk water dealers, in a bid to bring order to the increasingly chaotic water delivery sector and protect public health.
The crackdown comes in response to growing public outcry over the unregulated abstraction and distribution of water, especially in urban areas where rogue operators have proliferated in the wake of frequent municipal water shortages.
Zinwa warned that such unlicensed activities not only violate national laws but also pose serious health risks due to potential water contamination.
In a statement yesterday, Zinwa’s head of corporate communications and marketing, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga, said the operation is being carried out in terms of Statutory Instrument 90 of 2013, which regulates the licensing and operations of bulk water suppliers, including borehole owners and water delivery truckers.
“All bulk water dealers must be registered with Zinwa. It is illegal to abstract raw water from residential areas without specific authority. It is also illegal to abstract raw water from residential areas unless one is granted specific authority to do so,” she said.
As part of the operation, Zinwa is randomly sampling water from delivery trucks and boreholes to test for compliance with national water quality standards. This move seeks to ensure that water supplied to consumers meets public health and safety regulations.
“Zinwa is also empowered to randomly collect water samples from bulk water sources and trucks and have such samples examined for water quality compliance,” said Mrs Munyonga.
She also reminded stakeholders that borehole owners and licensed water suppliers are legally required to maintain accurate records of all water abstractions and deliveries.
“In this blitz, Zinwa is working very closely with law enforcement agencies and other organs mandated to help regulate bulk water businesses. Bulk water dealers are strongly advised to fully co-operate with Zinwa teams during this operation. At the same time, the public can also report illegal or any suspected illegal bulk water activities to Zinwa on its WhatsApp number 0774 674 333,” she said.
In 2020, Bulawayo experienced a typhoid and dysentery outbreak that infected nearly 2 000 people and resulted in 13 deaths. The outbreak was largely contained to the Luveve and surrounding areas.
