Zinwa rebrands

THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), a government entity responsible for managing the country's water resources, has roped in other organisations in projects that are expected to benefit the nation's water system.

The authority, in an attempt to improve Zimbabweans' access to water and climate proofing, has embarked on life changing projects to improve the country's water system.

The projects include the recently commissioned Gwayi-Shangani pipeline in partnership with a South African company, Flowtite, which supplied glass fibre reinforced pipes (GRP pipes) worth US$50 million as part of efforts to end Bulawayo's perennial water woes.

Speaking during the signing ceremony of the partnership recently, Zinwa chief executive Taurai Maurukira said the contract marked a link towards the delivery of the National Matabeleland-Zambezi Water Project.

The project comprises three components: the construction of the US$535 million Gwayi-Shangani Dam, which is currently underway and the construction of the 252-km-long pipeline to draw water from the dam to Bulawayo.

The project also includes the construction of yet another pipeline from the Zambezi River to Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

"The contract will see Flowtite South Africa supplying the pipes to cover the entire pipeline of 252km. The 52% under this contract is in the US$50 million and then the second 50% is going to be manufactured under a partnership wherein localisation of the manufacture of those pipes will come into effect," Maurukira said.

In addition to construction, Zinwa also monitors several major dams for the purpose of supplying reliable water for the people in Zimbabwe.

The dams include the Mazowe, Mzingwane, Runde, Sanyati, Save and Manyame.

Zinwa, under the Presidential Rural Development Programme, has also pledged to drill solar powered boreholes in each of the country's 35 000 villages.

It is targeting to drill boreholes benefitting 1,8 million households by 2025 while creating jobs for villagers.

The solar-powered boreholes will benefit local communities while establishing horticulture gardens, drip irrigation, growing high-value crops, fisheries, and piped water schemes together with washing slabs and cattle troughs.

According to the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development Anxious Masuka at least 500 boreholes would have been drilled across the country by the end 2022.