BEITBRIDGE Town Council is reportedly struggling to provide adequate water supplies to its residents because of its outstanding $12 million debt to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).
by VENERANDA LANGA
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, in its recent report on service delivery by local authorities, said Beitbridge town’s water treatment capacity had also slumped to 5 000 cubic metres of raw water per day against daily demand of 15 000 cubic metres.
“As at May 2016, Beitbridge Town Council owed Zinwa $12 million, including interest of $4,3 million charged on the amount owed, and Zinwa charges 92 cents per cubic metre for its water,” read the committee report.
“Treatment works need to be upgraded so that it can meet the town’s demand, and the other treatment plant was completed ten years ago, but has not been commissioned because there is $1,6 million which has to be paid to the contractor.”
The committee said the water treatment plant was already depleting before it was used.
“Beitbridge Town Council wants to take over water treatment from Zinwa. They argued that there is no reason to have water problems or to have it at a high cost considering the vicinity of Limpopo River to the town. The committee was disturbed to hear that Zinwa was rationing water when Limpopo River is still with adequate water to supply the town. Zinwa decided to ration water because Beitbridge Town Council was unable to pay a monthly instalment of $70 000 towards the $12 million debt owed to Zinwa.”
Gwanda Town Council, which was recently cut off over a $9 million debt, has also accused Zinwa of refusing to hand over the water treatment plant to the local authority.
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“The committee was informed that some of the maintenance of water treatment plant was being done by Gwanda Municipal Council, but this did not deter Zinwa’s high charges. Gwanda Town Council then sells water to residents at 84 cents per cubic metre, resulting in Gwanda Town Council losing a lot of potential revenue from water. “
