The central government has said that it will be disbursing $72,3 million from the Inter-governmental Fiscal Transfers allocation to address water and sewer challenges in local authorities.
The development was revealed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube on Wednesday 25 September.
Ncube said that the central government made the move after realising that water challenges were not peculiar to Harare City which Treasury recently assisted.
The minister further observed that water challenges in local authorities were being exacerbated by inadequate investment in the rehabilitation of water networks. Resultantly, vast amounts of water are lost between the water pump and the intended consumer.
Ncube also observed that local authorities were failing to effectively collect revenue, particularly from ratepayers. He added:
Based on the submissions from affected councils, Government will be disbursing $72,3 million from the Inter-Governmental Fiscal Transfers allocation towards identified interventions by local authorities . . .
More: The Herald