The Sunday News
Richard Muponde, Gwanda Correspondent
THE construction of the Spitzkop Mega 5 litre reservoir viewed as the panacea to Gwanda Town water problems is now behind schedule despite the town fathers saying it will be completed this month.
Gwanda has been perennially dogged by water shortages with residents going for days without the precious liquid which gave the municipality the urge to moot the idea of constructing the reservoir.
Gwanda Mayor Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu yesterday acknowleged that the project had missed its target but said he was still to get an update on why there has been delays in the completion of the mega reservoir.
“I am still to get an update on the matter. This issue was raised last week and the people involved had promised to give me an update on Friday, unfortunately I was out of office. However, on Monday I will be having a better picture of what is happening,” said Clr Ndlovu.
The construction of the tank started five years ago but briefly stopped due to financial problems before it resumed late last year after the Government in partnership which a development bank availed funds for the project.
All the material for the project is on site and what is left for the contractor to finish his job.
The issue of water for Gwanda has hogged the limelight for long with the council and Zinwa involved in a tug of war after the water authority last month installed bulk pre-paid water meters for the municipality.
The move was meant to force Gwanda Municipality to pay over $9,5 million owed to the authority, a development that did not go down well with the town fathers and residents.
Zinwa installed the pre-paid bulk water meters and had also given the municipality up to 21 October to pay the debt or risk paying for water upfront.
However, two weeks ago the two parties reached a compromise and the water authority temporarily shelved the use of the meters, breaking a month long impasse between the two parties.
In the meeting council took a position that in the long term the Zinwa should cede the water treatment plant to the municipality.
For the past weeks the water situation had reached crisis levels as Gwanda Provincial Hospital had stopped admitting patients and also discharged some due to water shortages.
Schools had also indicated that that they might close if the situation was not rectified.
Twitter: @richardmuponde
