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Makandida Chamboko Beitbridge Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has introduced water rationing in Beitbridge after the water utility and town council failed to agree on the payment of a $7million debt accrued by the local authority between 2009 and 2013.Zinwa’s Umzingwane Catchment manager Tommy Rosen yesterday said initially they agreed that the municipality pays at least $150,000 per month towards offsetting the debt but only $8,000 was being deposited to them.

He said instead of cutting off supplies to the town completely, the authority had introduced a tight water rationing programme that has seen them pumping water for only four hours per day.

“We need money to buy purification chemicals and it is difficult for us to supply the town with adequate water when we don’t have funds to that effect,” he said.

Rosen said they would increase water supplies to the town as soon as the town council reviewed their payment plan.
The water rationing programme has triggered fears of an outbreak of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

The town requires 150,000 cubic litres of water per day and Zinwa is only pumping a third of the required amount.

Long winding queues at the local authority’s 33 boreholes and vehicles carrying buckets of water have become a common feature in the border town.

Beitbridge town council’s acting secretary and District Administrator Simon Muleya said: “We can only get answers from Zinwa since they are the ones who have cut the water supplies”.

Beitbridge residents association chairman Lawrence Tshili said they were still engaging authorities at the town council over the issue.

“Authorities at the town council should consider settling their issues with Zinwa because the residents are suffering.  There is no reason for the local authority to play hide and seek because the residents are paying their water bills on time,” he said.