Water and ZINWA Acts to be aligned

Water and ZINWA Acts to be aligned

Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa

Cabinet has approved the alignment of two laws governing water management in Zimbabwe, the Water and ZINWA Act to expedite development in the sector.

Addressing media after yesterday`s Cabinet, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said this is set to put the sector on course to achieve Vision 2030.

She explaining on the Proposed Institutional Arrangements for Managing Water Infrastructure as presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube.

Min Mutsvangwa said, “The nation is being informed that ZINWA currently operates and maintains over 530 water supply stations across the country, mainly serving small towns, growth points, service centres, Police and Defence establishments, prisons, schools and hospitals. As a water management authority ZINWA also assists local authorities in the discharge of their functions.

Institutional arrangements for managing water infrastructure were adopted by Cabinet so as to ensure that optimal benefits from revenue collected on dams accrue to the nation.

The measures adopted to achieve this are that, in line with the Whole of Government Approach, water sector coordination be enhanced through strengthening the existing Department of WASH and Pollution Coordination. Furthermore all dams will be gazetted as protected areas to ensure sustainability and law enforcement.

In order to ensure cost recovery tariffs for both clear and raw water, Local Authorities and ZINWA will continue to review and align their tariff structure to ensure sustainability in maintaining water infrastructure and supply services, with the tariffs being approved by Cabinet before implementation to ensure alignment from an affordability point of view.

Cabinet also approved that water management authorities should take urgent steps to implement innovative revenue generation measures for approval by Cabinet.

Added to that Cabinet also approved that there be strict enforcement of compliance with sound environmental management in dam construction and management of existing dams in view of climate change, biodiversity loss and adverse social impacts.

Also approved is that further institutional and structural reforms be explored to attract the private sector investment in dam construction; and that the review and alignment of the Water Act and the ZINWA Act be expedited to modernize them and enhance developments in the water sector in pursuit of Vision 2030.