Nyashadzashe Ndoro
Chief Reporter
The Parliament of Zimbabwe has ratified an agreement between the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa on the supply of treated water from Beitbridge Water Treatment Works in Zimbabwe to Musina Town in South Africa.
The agreement, signed on March 14, 2024, in Musina, South Africa, aims to address water supply challenges in the drought-stricken town of Musina. The deal was made possible through a bilateral agreement on Co-operation on Water Resources Management and the establishment of the Joint Water Commission established by the two countries in 2015.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi on Tuesday brought the motion to the National Assembly seeking the ratification of the agreement. The motion was agreed to.
According to the agreement, Zimbabwe will supply 15 million cubic meters of treated water per year to Musina town, which is expected to alleviate water supply challenges in the area. The capacity of the Beitbridge Water Treatment Plant is 35 million cubic meters per annum, and currently, only 10% of the capacity is used for Beitbridge.
"This day has come to fruition after years of negotiation, and I thank the technical team for putting their best efforts for their countries to ensure that we come to this level today," said Zimbabwe's Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Anxious Jongwe Masuka said during the signing of the deal in March.
Senzo Mchunu, then South Africa's Minister of Water and Sanitation, welcomed the signing of the agreement, assuring the community of Musina that the transfer of water from Beitbridge will alleviate water supply challenges in the area.
"We are looking at operationalizing the non-functioning boreholes in Musina, and we believe that with the transfer of water from Beitbridge Water Treatment Works, the challenges of water supply in Musina will be a thing of the past," the former Minister said.
Mchunu has since been replaced by Pemmy Majodina as South Africa's Minister of Water.
The two countries will kickstart an implementation plan and oversee the construction of a pipeline and pump stations to transfer the treated water from Zimbabwe to Musina. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
The treated water to be transferred is expected to comply with South Africa's water quality standards, SANS 241, set by the South African National Bureau of Standards, informed by World Health Organisation Guidelines.
Masuka expressed Zimbabwe's commitment to supplying the maximum 15 million cubic meters of treated water per year to Musina town for the duration of the agreement.
Mchunu: "We are thankful to the government of Zimbabwe for expediting this water sharing deal, which will change the lives of people in Musina."
The agreement is expected to bring relief to the drought-stricken town of Musina, which has been struggling with water supply challenges.
The transfer of treated water from Beitbridge Water Treatment Works in Zimbabwe to Musina town is a medium-term solution to address water supply challenges in the area.
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