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Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA Town Council has refused to compensate the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) for infrastructure at the town’s water plant.

The local authority argues that Zinwa inherited the infrastructure without paying for it thus the water authority’s compensation claim is unacceptable.

Government has approved the takeover of the town’s water treatment plant by council and a committee has been set up to facilitate the smooth takeover by the local authority.

The town council said Zinwa should not claim compensation for the water treatment plant because it was built by public funds long before the water authority was established. “The former Department of Water Resources was an arm of Government and it was during this time that the plant was built.

When Zinwa was established to take over the supply of water it also inherited the infrastructure from the department free of charge, hence has no legal standing to claim compensation from the local authority,” said council to the Government appointed Commission of Inquiry.

The town fathers said they also poured financial resources into the plant in repairs and maintenance which accumulated to $258 706.

“Zinwa should just cede the plant without complicating things. As council we also used our financial resources in repairing and maintaining the water infrastructure. It’s a strong view of the municipality of Gwanda that no payment should be made to Zinwa for this plant. In future, should there be a different directive in the ownership of the water treatment plant, that organisation shall inherit it for free,” said a council representative.

The municipality went on to cite examples of Government infrastructure which was inherited by other departments for free.

“Numerous examples clearly showing this positive precedent include the take over for free of hydro power stations and electricity infrastructures in big cities by Zesa (now ZETDC) at its incorporation, Forestry Commission Ltd takeover of Forestry Commission assets, Environmental Management Agency (EMA) takeover of the Department of Natural Resources assets…” said the municipality.

The development comes as the town council is demanding more than $7 million from Zinwa for services rendered and other expenses incurred by the municipality in the provision of water to the town.

The water authority has been fighting the local authority over a $10 million debt for water supplied.

The local authority maintains that after offsetting the $7 million, it owes Zinwa less than $3million. — @richardmuponde.