Govt allocates US$4 million  to Victoria Falls water system

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
GOVERNMENT has allocated US$4 million to Victoria Falls City Council to improve the water reticulation system.

The funds were channelled through the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) project.

Victoria Falls, which became a city in 2019, faces perennial water challenges as a result of ageing pumping equipment and lack of water storage facilities.

Government allowed the local authority to take over water management from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority as the council indicated that it had capacity to manage its own water pumping, purification and distribution.

The local authority requires US$15 million for the Wash project which will result in an overhaul of the whole water and sewer system and has been courting investors without success.

President Mnangagwa in December last year promised to look into the city’s water issue after being approached by residents.

Government has since pledged US$4 million following the President’s promise as the Second Republic continues to walk its talk.

Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said a developer has been identified to construct a water reservoir in Mkhosana suburb, the suburb worst affected by water challenges.

The city pumps water directly to users from the main reservoir and in cases of electricity faults at the pump, residents immediately experience water cuts.

“The water reservoir issue is on the plan. We have a Wash programme focusing on improving water distribution.

The current situation is that Government has intervened because we failed to raise the money and anything can happen during the course of the year,” said Mr Dube.

He was speaking on Monday at a stakeholders meeting while updating residents who had expressed concern about delays in constructing a water reservoir for Mkhosana.

He said: “We are aware of the consequences of not having a water reservoir and the Central Government has pledged a significant amount of money and all that will be rectified.”

In a follow up interview, Mr Dube said Government pledged US$4m to upgrade the water abstraction point, rehabilitate distribution channels and construct a reservoir in Mkhosana.

He said invoices from the supplier have been submitted to Treasury.

“We hope as soon as payments are made, actual works will commence,” said Mr Dube.

He could not be drawn into revealing the contractor for the project.

Treasury allocated $4 billion for development of Wash programmes in urban and local authorities in the 2022 budget, and of this amount, Victoria Falls got $33 million.

The money was meant for construction of a new water treatment plant and water tank at the pump station.

– @ncubeleon

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