Gwanda council has set aside $1,8 million for upgrading its water infrastructure from its $7 million budget for next year.
“Not much change has occurred pertaining to charges in the budget for 2012 except that it has been reduced from this year’s $7,9 million to the $7,1 million set for next year. Within the $7,1 million budget for next year, 1,8 million is for water services development,” said mayor Lionel DeNecker.
“The amount budgeted for water is high because of the charges which we receive from Zinwa,” he said. “Whilst other cities are charged 35 cents per cubic metre for their water, Gwanda is charged $1,60 per cubic metre which is astronomical and illegal.”
DeNecker described the high water charges by Zinwa as criminal, hence the ongoing court action against the water authority.
“Zinwa has failed to explain to us why their charges are high for Gwanda when in fact it is Gwanda Municipality that pays for chemicals used to sterilise water the town receives and when compared to Bulawayo, which gets its water from 60 kilometres away. Gwanda receives its water from a dam which is 200 metres away, so we do not understand why we are receiving these high charges.”
DeNecker added that the bulk of the $1,8 million for water development will be used for the expansion of waterworks and replacement of 40-year-old pipes.
