Zinwa spends $2m on drills

Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Reporter
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has spent $2 million in procurement of new drilling rigs for borehole citing and drilling to push the Command Water projects in the Midlands Province.

The water authority has also deployed engineers and technicians to all districts across the province to monitor borehole citing and drilling, construction of weirs, servicing of pumps, pipelines, and sprinklers.Speaking at the launch of Midlands Command Fisheries in Lower Gweru last week, Zinwa director of Engineering and Hydrological Services, Engineer Taurai Maurukira, said the authority recognised the urgency to rehabilitate water bodies as many were damaged, ahead of the rainy season. As such, he said, the engineers and technicians deployed to all the eight districts in the Midlands province were going to repair the broken down engines, pipes and water bodies.

“To ensure that Command Water Projects run smoothly, Zinwa has deployed an engineer and a technician to every district to monitor borehole citing and drilling, construction of weirs, servicing of pumps, pipelines, and sprinklers. We want water bodies rehabilitated and equipment repaired to ensure farmers are able to utilise water in their dams. We have spent about $2 million in procurement of new drilling rigs for borehole citing and drilling in the province,” said Eng Maurukira.

Eng Maurukira said their biggest project was in Silobela where Mayorca Dam, which was being used to irrigate 76 hectares, breached at the height of Cyclone Dineo early this year.