ZINWA grants Victoria Falls City water rights
Victoria Falls City Council was granted raw water abstraction rights by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) in a ceremony held at the Victoria Falls City Council Boardroom on 11 June 2021.
This will strengthen the new City’s water services in the resort town and its future needs. To make it happen, the Local Authority has been working closely with its parent Ministry and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement to have water abstraction rights devolved, leading to direct control of raw water pumping from the source. The City views this as an effective thrust towards implementing its long-muted USD 15m strategic water master, which will help manage all channel-related challenges that are currently being experienced. Over and above the challenges, the other anchor objective is to address the town’s future needs now!
The handover of the water rights comes after a declaration by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency E.D Mnangagwa, during the city status celebrations last year in December 2020.
Victoria Falls Mayor is elated by the development aimed at changing fortunes in the Council’s push to improve service delivery expressing commitment to work towards the desired goals. “As a newly ordained City, our aspirations are anchored in the commitment towards delivery of quality and consistent water services to our residents and visitors.
“Allow me to express my debt of gratitude to His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, who promised this development, and it has been delivered. The onus is on us to pool together our resources to improve our facilities in the delivery of water service,” said the Mayor.
The Provincial Development Coordinator, Ms Ncube, commended ZINWA and Council for finding common grounds to pave the way to the handover.
” Victoria Falls has witnessed massive developments which naturally lead to the need for more services, and this raw water handover will help Council improve its capacity to produce portable water unhindered.
“I am alive to the Local Authority’s WASH program plans and implore Council to quickly find resources to bring to reality its dream of creating a world-class water and sewer system,” she added.
To this end of achievement, readers would note that the Local Authority walked a long journey which started in 2014 advocating for the handover of water rights from ZINWA. The 2014 application prompted the then Minister of Environment, Water and Climate on 18 July 2017 to dispatch a seven-member commission to inquire on the Local Authority’s capacity to take over water supply and wastewater management system.