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Minister Kasukuwere

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) is owed over $100 million by various debtors who include local authorities and government departments, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.
Zinwa, as the custodian of all water in dams, is paid by local authorities for the supply of raw water for purification and distribution to residents.

The government pays for the treated water consumed by its institutions and departments, while farmers pay for using water in dams.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new Zinwa  board of directors, Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said the increasing debt was impacting negatively on operations of the authority.

“Without scaring you, let me hasten to say that at the moment, the Authority finds itself failing to collect debts in excess of $100 million owed by local authorities, private consumers, irrigating farmers and government departments for a variety of reasons,” he said.
“The board is expected to come up with mechanisms that ensure the user pays principle.”

Kasukuwere urged debtors to pay their dues to Zinwa to enable the authority to effectively carry out its mandate.
“Let me take this opportunity to dispel the myth that water is free. Yes, as rain falling on your field it is, but once I deliver it in a truck, pipe or to your field edge you will need to pay for the service.

“Equally, if I pump, treat and convey all the way to your house, surely you will need to pay to sustain the service,” he said.
Beitbridge Town Council owes more than $7 million, Gwanda Rural District Council owes $4 million while Victoria Falls is indebted to Zinwa to the tune of $2 million.

Announcing the new board, which comprises five women, Kasukuwere said he had fulfilled the new government policy of gender parity.
“These men and women shall be carrying the aspirations of the nation on their shoulders in so far as water is concerned and they have a huge task to accomplish”, he said.

Members of the board include chairperson Michael Shongwe Ndoro, Gilbert Musikavanhu, Anna Tshuma, Betty Biri, Albert Muyambo, Michael James Tumbare, Duduzile Shinya, Josephine Ncube, Joyce Malaba and Gilbert Mawere.

The new board comes when there are several strategic water infrastructure projects which remain incomplete, among them the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, Tokwe-Mukosi, Kunzvi and Munyati dams.

“We’re looking forward for the new board to forge strategic partnerships that will facilitate the mobilisation of resources required for the completion of these projects,” said Kasukuwere.

“The board comes at a time when taps are dry in our households; water pollution is at its peak in most of our dams and rivers, while mothers and girls in the rural areas are walking long distances to fetch water,” he said.

Kasukuwere urged the new board to draw up sustainable and viable pricing strategies that would ensure affordability and accessibility of water to all citizens all the time, whilst at the same time ensuring viability of the authority.

“We expect the board to grow the authority’s revenue base through the expansion and development of strategic business units such as borehole drilling, water supply and waste water treatment, water bottling as well as continued education and registration of all raw water users,” he said.

“These activities are provided for in the Zinwa Act, and also contained in the National Water Policy and are in the interest of value addition as spelt out in the Zim-Asset,” he said. – New Ziana