HARARE – Lands, water and rural development minister Anxious Masuka has warned against the practice of drilling and extracting underground water without first securing the relevant permits from the authorities.

In a statement, Masuka said his ministry has noted the increase in the number of persons and organisations that have been drilling boreholes outside the law.

The minister also noted that some of the boreholes were being drilled within meters of each other.

“The ministry wishes to remind borehole owners, drillers and prospective borehole owners that underground water use, just like surface water use, is governed by the Water Act (Chapter 20:24),” he said.

“Section 3 of the Water Act vests all water in the President while section 4 of the same Act prohibits private ownership of water.”

The minister said water is a finite resource whose use and development should be managed in a sustainable manner.

“Government, through ZINWA and Sub Catchment Councils, is responsible for assessing and allocating water efficiently, sustainably and equitably, in view of competing water needs by multiple users,” he said.

The senior government official also called on those intending to drill boreholes to first seek permits from their respective catchment councils.

“This allows government to know the number and location of boreholes, so as to avoid over abstraction of underground water resource.

“The driller is required by law, to provide the technical details on the drilling of such a borehole (ie construction, the pumping tests, and water yields and any other parameters).”

The minister said holders of underground water permits must keep records of water abstracted in terms of the permit and have such water analysis for physical, chemical, biological and other bacteriological constituents and to ensure that the water is safe and clean for human consumption.

He also urged individuals, institutions and organisations that have drilled boreholes without permits to approach relevant authorities to regularise their water use.

Access to safe water supply and sanitation services remains a challenge especially in urban areas.

This has led to the drilling of boreholes as councils fail to cover the water demand gap due to dilapidated water pumps and low water dam levels.