Vic Falls close to getting autonomy to manage its own water reticulation

GOVERNMENT is considering granting Victoria Falls Municipality autonomy to manage its own water reticulation as the council has proved to have the capacity.

This comes as the local authority started using bowsers to supply residents in the wake of a biting water crisis.

Parliament agreed last Wednesday that the resort town be granted city status following recommendations by a commission set up by Government to look into the issue.

Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo told Parliament that Government will soon be devolving some responsibilities including water management to Victoria Falls so that the town becomes a real city.

The development will come as a relief to the local authority and residents as the town faces perennial water problems especially during the hot season when water levels are low at the pump station on the Zambezi River.

The council has been engaging Government over the years with a view to be allowed to take over water management from Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).

At the present moment, residents in most parts of Mkhosana high-density suburb have been surviving on the benevolence of those in few sections such as VID line and CBZ stands that have been getting occasional supplies especially at night.

Taps in Mfelandawonye, Hlalani Kuhle, BD846, BD847 and BD848 sections have been dry for two weeks owing to challenges in pumping water from the river which has reduced capacity in distribution.

Water challenges are also compounded by lack of reservoirs in Mkhosana suburb where pumping is done directly from the pump station to users hence creating distribution problems.

Speaking in Parliament last Wednesday, Minister Moyo said Victoria Falls now deserves to be given the right to manage its own water.

“What we do with councils when they achieve municipal status from a town status, is that Government properties, particularly land is given to the municipality to manage. Now that Victoria Falls has been elevated, it should manage its water affairs. Right now, the pumping is being done by Zinwa and yet the purification is done by council. We think that is an abnormal situation. The municipality should pump its own water, purify and reticulate it,” he said.

MPs also backed Victoria Falls’ takeover of water rights saying the city status will require reliable water reticulation for the tourism town.

Hwange West MP Mr Godfrey Dube, whose constituency covers Victoria Falls, said all stakeholders in Victoria Falls back the municipality’s takeover of water management.

Binga South MP Mr Joel Gabbuza Gabbuza said Victoria Falls needs additional water sources.

“The commission established that they have the capacity to manage some of the infrastructure but water is always a problem in Victoria Falls. If granted the city status there will be extra responsibilities and we implore Government to assist in that area.

“The last time that we toured Victoria Falls they had serious shortage of water and currently the amount of water that Zinwa is able to pump is not enough and there is always water rationing. I think Government must look seriously into that as there is need for additional sources. They must not just grant city status and expect that Victoria Falls will be able to charge residents some rates to raise the required funding to build water reticulation infrastructure,” he said.

Zanu-PF proportional representation MP for Harare Province Miriam Chikukwa said Victoria Falls water issue needs urgent address and challenged the local authority to scout for investors.

“There is water but the way the council gets the water is different from how we get it. I hope this will be addressed to assist the city like what happens in other cities,” she said.

Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said the municipality had started supplying residents using water bowsers.

There were chaotic scenes in Mkhosana suburb on Saturday as scores of residents jostled to fetch water from a water bowser.

There is no schedule of supplies yet and the bowser is expected in the other section of Mkhosana today.

The council recently bought a 20 000-litre bowser to complement the 10 000-litre one it has been using. — chronicle.co.zw