Water and sanitation project launched in Mutare

The water and sanitation programme has been launched in Mutare amid calls for local authorities to prioritise service delivery.

A few years after emerging from the hyper-inflationary environment that compromised service delivery by most councils, government still expects local authorities to plough back the bulk of their revenue into service delivery.

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Dr Ignatius Chombo challenged local authorities to come up with long term master plans to address the demands of water and other services.

Mutare Mayor, Councillor Tatenda Nhamarare said a number of projects are already at various stages of construction in the eastern border city in an effort to put service delivery at the fore-front.

Before launching the water and sanitation programme, Dr Chombo and his delegation toured the Gimboki water treatment plant, which ceased operating in 2000 and is now under rehabilitation with 60 percent of the major work having been completed.

The delegation also toured the Hob house water tank construction project which is expected to ease water shortages in Mutare when complete.

Meanwhile, plans to establish an independent water sector regulator are now at an advanced stage as government moves in to protect consumers from service providers some of whom are unscrupulous.

The Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate has already started implementing various pronouncements of the National Water Policy such as the establishment of commercial water supply and sanitation utilities.

Addressing stakeholders in Mutare, Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said an independent water regulator and water and sanitation services regulation will soon be established.

Kasukuwere assured local authorities that his ministry supports the proposed prepaid water system as a measure to cushion local authorities against consumers who are failing to pay for rendered services.

Through the multi-donor Trust Fund, the development of the National Water Policy, quick solutions for Bulawayo water supply, performance improvement for Harare and Greater Harare water supplies have been undertaken.