The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes Cde Jorum Gumbo says Government is ready to assist the country’s urban local authorities to provide water to the people.
The Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes Cde Jorum Gumbo says Government is ready to assist the country’s urban local authorities to provide water to the people.
Minister Gumbo was speaking during a tour of Morton Jaffray Waterworks and Warren Control pump station.
“It cannot be disputed that water is an essential commodity and a basic right which every citizen should enjoy.
“The tragedy with many of our local authorities is that the rapid increase in population has not been matched by a commensurate development and rehabilitation of requisite infrastructure,” he said.
He said the visit was a fact finding mission to facilitate evidence based decision making and possible interventions by Government where challenges are identified.
Minister Gumbo said Morton Jaffray Waterworks is now old and cannot handle the ever growing population.
“The plant infrastructure at Morton Jaffray Water works was installed way back in 1954 and therefore has become obsolete.
“It should be noted that at the time of installation, the infrastructure was meant to provide portable water for a population of approximately 300 000,” he said.
He said the plant is currently operating at half its capacity and it needs urgent upgrading in order to cope with the rapid expansion in urban settlements and population.
“It is for this reason, that Government has prioritised the upgrading and rehabilitation of water infrastructure and has made significant strides to this effect.
“From the briefing that I got, the investment from government remains inadequate and hence Morton Jaffray is still unable to meet the demand for clean and safe water for the residents,” said Minister Gumbo.
Cde Gumbo promised to engage sister ministries in order to speed up the rehabilitation works at Warren Control Pumpstation.
“It has also been brought to my attention that the delays in the commencement of works at Warren Control are due to frustrating customs procedures.
“If this is indeed the case, it flies in the face of the Ease of Doing business that the government has adopted, I will be approaching my counterpart in the Ministry of finance and Development with a view to resolving this problem,” he said.
He implored the local authority to speed up work on burst pipes as a way of arresting non-revenue water as well as install pre-paid water meters, attend to illegal connections and replace obsolete primary and secondary water networks.
