The bond between a water molecule and the metal ion is a dative covalent bond, with the oxygen atom donating both electrons to the bond.
ðə bˈɑːnd bᵻtwˌiːn ɐ wˈɔːɾɚ mˈɑːlɪkjˌuːl ænd ðə mˈɛɾəl ˈaɪɑːn ɪz ɐ dˈæɾɪv kˈoʊvələnt bˈɑːnd, wɪððɪ ˈɑːksɪdʒən ˈæɾəm doʊnˈeɪɾɪŋ bˈoʊθ ᵻlˈɛktɹɑːnz tə ðə bˈɑːnd.