Suburban
At least 91 bulk water suppliers have so far been registered with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA).
Diana Nherera
Suburban Reporter
In an interview, ZINWA corporate communications and marketing officer, Mr Tsungirirai Shoriwa said ZINWA is still looking into other applications that have been lodged and will soon publish a comprehensive register of licensed bulk water dealers.
He expressed concern over reports such as that of water dealers abstracting water in residential areas.
“ZINWA however continues to receive worrying reports of violations of the law including abstraction taking place in forbidden areas such as residential areas and abstraction of water from unregistered sources.
“The authority together with catchment councils which issue water permits for abstraction points and law enforcement agents will soon go after all non-compliant bulk water dealers and help bring the expected order to the sector,” said Mr Shoriwa.
He urged the public to continue reporting any violations and deal only with registered bulk water dealers.
Mr Shoriwa said in terms of Statutory Instrument 90 of 2013, ZINWA is mandated to register and monitor operations of bulk water suppliers in order to ensure sustainable extraction of ground water in urban areas.
“Under the statutory instrument, all bulk water dealers should be registered with ZINWA and no bulk water should be extracted from residential areas,” he said.
Mr Shoriwa said all bulk water licenses expire on December 31 of every year regardless of the time of the year a license was issued.
“ZINWA maintains a register of all bulk water dealers, which is also open for inspection by members of the public,” he said.
Harare Provincial Development Coordinator, Mr Tafadzwa Muguti at a workshop on the protection of wetlands and public streams held at the end of last year said all bulk water suppliers should be licensed and those operating without permission will have their trucks impounded.
He condemned bulk water suppliers abstracting water in residential areas leaving residents of those areas without water for their boreholes.
“This habit should stop.
“Whilst we appreciate that we have a water crisis in Harare Province, every solution should be collective and within the law,” said Mr Muguti.
He urged ZINWA to ensure that bulk water suppliers are licensed with traceable permits and sources of where they abstract their water.
“I have since asked the water authority to put it on a programme so that you will see in the next coming weeks trucks which are carrying water illegally without permits being impounded by the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” said Mr Muguti.
