Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate is leading a US $4.5m borehole drilling project under the Command Water Harvesting Program. The program will see four boreholes drilled in each constituency.
The Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said work was already underway with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) deploying drilling rigs to Beitbridge East Constituency and Matabeleland North, Binga South Constituency at Manyanda Secondary School.
Yesterday, ZINWA deployed two more rigs in Chivi North Constituency. Construction is already underway with cement for construction works being distributed in constituencies.
The minister further added that they will implement the rooftops rain water harvesting program in both rural and urban areas. According to her, the three programs will enhance water harvesting with a view to making communities adapt and mitigate against the adverse impacts of climate variability and climate change.
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Progress
Presently, the project is in its 7th of 100 days. The minister urged the people to work hard to drill the four boreholes, construct weirs and harvest water. She also said that the program will continue until the whole country is covered.
Command Water Harvesting program aims to transform livelihoods of people. Under the program are dam constructions as well as small weirs on rivers to allow for the collection of water during the rainy season.
The program will see ZINWA provide technical supervision during the construction period. Moreover, communities under the guidance of their local leadership structures will mobilize resources such as cement, rocks, labor and other materials.
The program will also include de-silting of silted water bodies. The local leadership is also critical in the identification of areas in their respective wards to build the weirs.
