The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has announced it will ensure adequate water supply throughout the 21-day lockdown. According to Zinwa’s spokesperson Mrs Marjorie Munyonga the authority was engaging suppliers of purification chemicals so that there were adequate stocks to avoid interruptions to water supplies at its stations.
“We fully appreciate the important role water, sanitation and hygiene play in the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. So, we have put in place a business continuity plan that ensures the availability of water to places that are supplied by our 534 water stations,” she added. While cities and larger urban centres have their own purification and distribution infrastructure, Zinwa supplies the rest of the country through 634 water supply stations countrywide.
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Operations at supply stations
Zinwa reduced the number of employees working during the lockdown period but according to Mrs Munyonga water supply stations are fully operational as most of the workers who were told to stay home are office staff; all the treatment plants are fully manned and resourced. “Electricity has been available at most stations during the lockdown, and this has resulted in improved water supplies across the country with the exception of Gwanda and Gokwe towns,” she affirmed.
The spokesperson further added that there were challenges in the procurement of some spares, as some suppliers closed their shops in response to the lockdown directive. However, Zinwa is making do with the spares it has in stock and in some cases we are moving spares from one centre to another. “I would like to remind consumers that it is critical for them to pay their bills, regardless of the lockdown, using electronic payment platforms, to ensure the authority remains viable,” she said.
