Ruwa sitting on US$3,5m Govt water facility
Tuesday, 23 August 2011 02:00
Michael Chideme Municipal Reporter
Ruwa Local Board is sitting on a US$3,5 million Government facility to provide water to its residents because of serious infighting over a tender award.
Ruwa was the biggest beneficiary of the State's US$13,5 million public sector investment programme funding meant for all local authorities when it received US$3,5 million out of the US$3,7 million it requested. The money was deposited with the local authority three months ago.
Instead of channelling the money towards the construction of the Nora Valley water pipeline, council has been investing the funds with local banks.
Council has not disclosed what it used the interest generated from the State funds for.
Ruwa residents are hardest hit by water shortages in Harare Metropolitan province and are forced to endure periods of up to five months without tap water.
It was on the strength of the council's water problems that Government gave it more money compared to councils of similar size.
Recently, Ruwa councillors and management met with Ruwa/Epworth district administrator Mrs Benedicta Mubaiwa to discuss the issue.
Mrs Mubaiwa urged council to urgently proffer the way forward after it emerged that councillors and management were deeply divided over the tender.
There have been accusations that certain councillors and officials were induced to support certain companies to win the tender.
According to available information, councillors disregarded a technical report recommending one company and chose to put the matter to vote, resulting in the company that was not recommended winning the tender.
Moving Water Industries, charging US$3,7 million won the vote by five to four against Waterflow Enterprises which is charging US$2,4 million.
But the council admits that Drawcard, which is charging US$3,4 million had the best design to solve Ruwa's water woes.
Finance director Mrs Fatima Mhiti pleaded with Mrs Mubaiwa to bar the press from reporting the matter after she received numerous reports "of corruption" in the process leading to the tender award.
She said each part claimed to have incriminating evidence against the other.
Mrs Mubaiwa said should the council fail to use the money, Government would have no option but to withdraw it and give it to other councils.
She warned that delays in building the pipeline would put the lives of Ruwa residents in danger, especially with the advent of summer that brings with it such deadly diseases like cholera.
Ruwa board chairman Mr Pinias Mushaya- vanhu apologised for the delays in building the pipeline.
Labels: UTILITIES, WATER
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Water utilities propose 18 to 80% tariff raise
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Sat 23 Oct. 2010, 04:04 CAT
SOME water utilities in the country are proposing to raise water tariffs to between 18 and 80 per cent, a senior official at National Water and Sanitation Council (NWASCO) has disclosed.
NWASCO financial and commercial management inspector Josephine Goma said water utilities were proposing to up water tariffs mostly to recover the cost of providing services.
Goma said recent changes in economic dynamics such as inflation and hiked electricity tariffs prompted water utilities to ask for an increase in water charges.
She mentioned the four water utilities that had applied for water increases as Luapula Water and Sewerage Company, Western Water and Sewerage Company, Eastern Water and Sewerage Company and Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company.
She said Luapula Water and Sewerage Company had proposed the highest tariff increase of 80 per cent.
“This figure might sound very high but in absolute terms it is very small because Luapula Water and Sewerage Company is a new commercial utility,” Goma said. “The point is that they Luapula Water and Sewerage Company are coming from zero, where the tariffs were not economic as they recently took over from local authorities.”
Eastern Water and Sewerage Company is asking for 30 per cent increase, and Western Water and Sewerage Company has proposed to raise tariffs by 27 per cent.
Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company which services Chingola, Mufulira and Chililabombwe has asked for the lowest tariff hike at 18 per cent.
Western Water and Sewerage Company is proposing a 27 per cent hike because they had not effected any tariff change since 2006, and the firm has the lowest tariff in the sector.
“They water utilities are basically asking for these adjustments to sustain the cost coverage rate, their operations and maintenance costs and also the movements in inflations,” she said.
Goma said commercial utilities that had not applied for tariff were operating within the window that had earlier been approved by NWASCO which had not yet expired.
Goma said NWASCO would study the proposals from the commercial utilities before approving and disapproving the proposals by the utilities.
“These are just proposals, [we will analyse them and based on what we will find when we analyse as management then we will pass on our findings to our council board, which then will make the final decision,” said Goma. “So, until that time…and of course we have a model we use when evaluating these submissions.”Labels: JOSEPHINE GOMA, NWASCO, UTILITIES, WATER
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Kazonga bemoans vandalism on water, sanitation infrastructure
By Agness Changala
Thu 15 July 2010, 04:01 CAT
LOCAL government and housing minister Eustarckio Kazonga has bemoaned the high levels of vandalism on water and sanitation infrastructure.
Officiating at the chief executive officers meeting in Lusaka, Dr Kazonga said curbing vandalism to infrastructure was an important aspect which local authorities must assist.
“A case in point is the rampant flooding of sewerage in Mufulira, largely as a result of deliberate vandalism of infrastructure,” he said.
Kazonga said such malicious acts endangered lives and the public must also take responsibility to ensure that persons vandalising infrastructure were brought to book.
He said the country should not allow vandalism to become endemic as was the case with cholera, which was reported every season.
“I would like to earnestly see cholera become a story of the past as public health is a serious concern to all of us,” he said.
Kazonga said commercial water utilities had a very big role to play in reducing such epidemics.
He urged commercial utilities to form a small committee and put together a proposal to have zero-rating for VAT purposes and other issues that he should present to finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane for further action.
And Kazonga said the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Programme (UWSSP) which the ministry had developed would be finalised before the end of the year.
He said the objective of the programme was to raise resources for the sub sector in order to deal with capital investments, capacity development and issues relating to solid waste management and drainages.
He, however, demanded that resources mobilised are seen to be increasing and improving access, quality and reliability of service delivery.
Labels: EUSTARKIO KAZONGA, MUFULIRA, UTILITIES
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Sanitation no longer a cousin of water in Lusaka
By Simon Mwale and Kennedy Mayumbelo
Mon 22 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE theme for this year's World Water Day is “Clean water for a healthy world.” The catch-word is “clean” because although there is a vast quantity of water in the world, this water is not suitable for direct human consumption unless it is treated. But when we talk about water, we cannot do so without making reference to sanitation because the two are like hand-in-glove or, to use the current street lingo, they are like a cell phone and its sim card.
Improved water supply and sanitation projects impact in various areas of life, from health to time savings to social status. While access to water supply and sanitation has improved in the last 20 years, it has been neither as widespread nor as rapid as had been expected.
What is sanitation? According to the Water Supply and Sanitation Act number 28 of 1997, sanitation services means:
a) the disposal, on site or off-site of human excreata,
b) the collection of sewage excluding untreated toxic waste and storm water, from residential, commercial or industrial sources; or
c) the treatment and disposal of waste water in accordance with the Act, the Environment Protection and Pollution Control Act or any other written law.
Simply stated, however, sanitation is the hygienic means of preventing human contact from hazards of wastes to promote good health. Good sanitation and hygiene has clear and distinct benefits and improves health. Poorly controlled waste means daily exposure to an unpleasant environment.
More specially, improved sanitation saves lives by reducing diarrhea-related disease, ensures a clean environment free from pollution and garbage while promoting personal dignity.
Water and sewerage companies like Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company ( LWSC) have an important, and we dare say, a mandatory, or compulsory role to play in providing good sanitation. In ensuring good sanitation, LWSC and its counterparts are responsible for
a) treating and supply of adequate clean and safe water to all customers,
b) collecting and disposing of waste water in their service areas and
c) extending sanitation services to areas not serviced.
In line with this year's theme, LWSC has already commenced the provision of sanitation in peri-urban areas. This follows the development of the sanitation strategy with support from the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Programme-Africa for effective service delivery of water and sanitation services to the peri-urban areas.
The sanitation strategy document expounds a roadmap for expanding sanitation and hygiene promotion services to Lusaka's peri-urban area based on a sanitation marketing approach.
In an effort to elevate attention and action on sanitation, LWSC introduced a sanitation levy and set up a sanitation fund to be used to improve sanitation in the peri-urban areas.
A sanitation marketing approach has been chosen to test in Lusaka to give people a choice, to ensure financial sustainability, and to promote behavior change. Lusaka will be the fore-runner on the use of this approach and in applying the strategy programmatically. Financing will no longer guide the process and implemented activities. The strategy will guide all players under the leadership of LWSC.
LWSC has set up a sanitation unit within the peri-urban department to spearhead the roll out of the sanitation programme in the peri-urban areas. The unit is in the process of constructing 200 toilets in Kanyama, Chaisa and Chipata compounds under the promoting peri-urban sanitation services (PPURSS) Project which is being financed by the European Union through CARE International and LWSC through the sanitation fund.
Training of artisans of the three areas was conducted for 45 artisans from Sept 22 to 24, 2009 on general building skills, but more inclined to improved latrine construction. The Artisans were drawn from the three beneficiary communities and the response was overwhelming.
A demonstration toilet has been completed for a 103-year-old woman of Kanyama while 99 are still under construction.
In the long term, LWSC intends to build water borne toilets as the sanitation service to the peri-urban areas. Designs and bills of quantities for Kanyama and Kalingalinga are being finalised. To this end, efforts are being made to source for financial support for this task and 2010 will prove to be real year of sanitation for Lusaka's peri-urban.
Labels: LUSAKA, UTILITIES, WATER, WORLD WATER DAY
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Harare warned against water privatisation
Municipal Reporter
MUNICH mayor Councillor Hep Monatzeder has warned Harare City Council
against privatisation of its water services saying such a move would
disadvantage residents in the long-term.
"We feel we could assist you in guidance and advice to help you not to lose sight of the long-term effects, measures and decisions, which need to be made today and need to be made urgently," he said.
He made the remarks during the signing of a co-operation agreement between the two cities and promised that Munich would continue assisting Harare.
The agreement allows co-operation in waste management, health, information technology, employee exchange, and councillor capacity building programmes, climate protection and sustainable development, identification of funding partners for projects among a host of other local government areas.
Clr Monatzeder said in the short-term, privatisation of water would relieve the city of a great burden but in the long run residents would lose. "They would be at the mercy of commercially oriented enterprises, instead of being in the hands of a city administration, which is obliged to act in a socially responsible manner," he said.
He said if a council failed to deliver water it would not be re-elected.
Clr Monatzerder said Harare should learn from the experience of other countries that took the same route. He also observed that some of the problems faced by Harare and the country were self-inflicted.
"This deterioration is not due to a natural catastrophe, but is home-made. I do not intend to hide from you my anger and resentment, which have surfaced during this week, often and regularly. My anger about the deterioration and decline of this country, which has so much to offer in terms of possibilities and resources," he said.
Labels: HARARE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NEOLIBERALISM, PRIVATISATION, UTILITIES, WATER
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New plans for water
By Takunda Maodza
South Korean companies are interested in rehabilitating Morton Jaffray Waterworks and building a third major supply dam for Harare using the concept of build, operate and transfer.
Under this arrangement, the South Koreans would invest the required capital and operate the works and dam for an agreed number of years, selling water to the city at a price that would cover operational costs and recover the capital plus an agreed profit. Once these capital costs had been recovered, the works and dam would be handed over to the city.
Yesterday, a business delegation from the Republic of Korea, made up of three companies specialising in dam construction, water supply and purification, met Harare town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi.
The delegation, comprising officials from Shinyong Infrastructure Company, GCM Water and Sewerage Engineering Company and SeoKwang Construction, toured Morton Jaffray Waterworks to get first-hand insight into Harare’s water management.
The Koreans expressed interest in resuscitating the entire water management system with particular focus on building the new Kunzvi Dam and repairing of the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant.
In an interview after touring Morton Jaffray, spokesperson for the delegation Mr Steve Jin expressed interest in investing in Harare water.
"We will support Government and the City of Harare to access more purified water," Mr Jin said.
He said they visited Morton Jaffray to get a first-hand view of Harare’s water management and supply system.
"We are quite keen to build Kunzvi Dam and to maintain this facility (Morton Jaffray) if they need technical assistance," Mr Jin said.
He said the tour of Morton Jaffray had provided the delegation with useful information.
Dr Mahachi said council required resources for it to be able to supply water efficiently to residents.
"This (tour) is to show the visitors what we have and where we need some support. I hope these guys will look at their ability to support Government and the city to rehabilitate and to provide an alternative source of water," he said.
He said council would not wait for support from outside.
Dr Mahachi said the South Koreans were interested in the entire water management system.
"They want to resuscitate the entire water system, including Kunzvi Dam and the plant (Morton Jaffray). All things would be worked out and we will come up with a business plan. We need to have a smart partnership."
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo earlier expressed satisfaction with Korean companies’ suitable technology, experience and expertise for the development of the country.
The minister visited the Republic of Korea recently and met heads of Korean companies and apprised them of the
investment opportunities Zimbabwe has to offer.
The minister’s discussions with the Korean companies focused mainly on investment in water, electricity, infrastructure and rural development.
Minister Chombo said due to urban expansion and industrialisation, the country’s cities and towns were unable to cope with increased demand for water.
He said dams built in the 1950s could not meet demand for water in most urban areas, highlighting the need for the construction of more dams and upgrading of water treatment systems.
Minister Chombo invited Korean companies to invest in dam construction and water supply systems.
He said opportunities existed for Korean companies in the energy sector, citing the shortage of electricity in Zimbabwe and other Sadc countries.
Minister Chombo said the country’s infrastructure had deteriorated and challenged the Koreans to invest in this sector.
"The roads and most buildings are too old to match the level of industrialisation facing the world. Quite a significant number of Zimbabweans live in urban areas but with no decent accommodation of their own. Most local authorities have plenty of land for investors to participate in housing projects," Minister Chombo said, in a report he compiled after his visit.
Among the companies visited by the minister was SeoKwang Development Corporation that specialises in property development.
"The company really wants to invest in housing projects in Zimbabwe, especially high-rise complexes," he said.
Minister Chombo said Korean companies had the right technology, experience, knowledge and expertise to significantly contribute to the development of Zimbabwe, especially in water, infrastructure, hydropower and solar development.
The minister took the opportunity to explain to the Koreans the correct position about the country in terms of its political, social and economic development contrary to false Western media reports.
The Republic of Korea helped Government to build the biodiesel plant in Mount Hampden.
Labels: UTILITIES
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COMMENT - This coincides with my idea of devolving responsibility for utilities to local government - see my Manifesto.
Mwandila calls for economic relations with S/Africa
Written by Mwila Chansa in Mufulira
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:29:43 AM
MUFULIRA town clerk Charles Mwandila has said bilateral relations should not just be restricted to politics but should be extended to economic sectors.
Speaking when a two-man delegation from Midvaal Water of South Africa and officials from Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) paid a courtesy call on him, Mwandila said extending bilateral cooperation to economic sectors such as water was important in meeting some of the Millennium Development Goals.
Mwandila noted that MWSC could learn a lot from Midvaal in terms of improving water supply and provision of clean and safe water to customers.
He further said there was need for Zambia to consider learning from Midvaal’s approach of sub-contracting municipalities to supply water on their behalf as opposed to the current trend where water utility firms produced, distributed and supplied water to their customers.
And Midvaal Water board chairperson Dikoko Matshedisho observed that although MWSC and his company had similarities in their operations, he was surprised that Mulonga was responsible for producing, distributing and supplying water to customers.
“For us, we are 100 per cent recovery based because the municipality is the one that distributes water on our behalf. They are the ones who deal with collection of money,” he said.
Matshedisho said Midvaal had a big challenge in supplying clean water to its customers because by the time the water reached the river Vaal, contamination and pollution increased unlike Mulonga which tapped water locally.
Meanwhile, MWSC managing director Manuel Mutale said although Matshedisho’s observations regarding water supply were valid, he believed the current Zambian arrangement where water utility firms produced and distributed water was the best for now.
Labels: CHARLES MWANDILA, ECONOMY, MWSC, SOUTH AFRICA, UTILITIES, WATER
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DMMU to spend K162m on water tanks in cholera-affected areas
Written by Moses Kuwema and Constance Matongo
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 11:08:50 AM
THE Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) for Lusaka will spend K162 million on 18 new water tanks in areas affected by cholera. Chairperson for the district disaster committee Christah Kalulu disclosed this during the weekly press briefing at the DMMU offices.
Kalulu said six water tanks would be erected in Kanyama and Chawama, four in Chibolya and one in Kuku and Misisi.
She said the committee had so far managed to control the cholera situation because they had recorded relatively stable number of cholera cases.
Kalulu said they have embarked on an aggressive campaign to ensure that people in the cholera-affected areas accessed clean water.
She said in the area of health alone, the committee had spent over K500 million which was used on clearing the drainages and also on disinfectants.
Kalulu called on people to provide hygiene for their families by boiling water and disposing of waste matter in the right places.
And private school teachers in Chibolya yesterday staged a peaceful protest demanding that education minister opens the schools in the cholera-affected areas.
The teachers said they would resume work tomorrow despite the ministry of educations’ directive to have schools closed in the cholera-affected areas.
“Tomorrow, we are opening schools because we have families and private schools are not like government schools where they are entitled to salaries even when there are no school fees from the pupils,” one of the teachers complained.
Labels: CHOLERA, DMMU, UTILITIES
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Cholera
Written by Editor
It is embarrassing that a country like ours, which is not facing an economic crisis, should every rainy season be faced with the challenge of combating cholera. We all know how cholera comes about. Cholera is an infection of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It causes a large amount of watery diarrhoea. The toxin released by the bacteria causes increased secretion of water and chloride ions in the intestine, which can produce massive diarrhoea. Death can result, within a few hours, from the severe dehydration brought about by the diarrhoea. This is what medical experts tell us.
Cholera occurs in epidemics when conditions of poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine are present. The infection is acquired by ingesting contaminated food or water.
In simpler terms, cholera is a disease associated with unhygienic conditions.
In Zambia, the main cause of cholera is poor sanitation and in some cases crowding. This is reflected clearly when we take a closer look at the areas that are usually affected by the epidemic. We are talking about shanty compounds with poor sanitation and contaminated drinking water from shallow wells.
Today, there are over 2,000 cases of cholera in Zambia. In Lusaka there are 769 cases of cholera, 472 of which are reported in Kanyama compound alone. Those who have been to Kanyama compound will have no difficulties understanding why this is so.
There are several hundreds of people living in this shanty compound with no amenities to talk about. Very few places have got running water and flushing toilets. The drainage system does not exist and so any small downpour results in floods. These floods in return expedite the contamination of drinking water, resulting in cholera.
Yes, it can be rightly argued that where personal hygiene is strictly adhered to, cholera is absent. But this whole argument should be started with the government. The government is expected to provide certain services to its people. These include good sanitation and clean water.
We have not forgotten that UNIP and Dr Kenneth Kaunda lost power to MMD in 1991, partly because of the cholera problem. The MMD used cholera as a campaign issue. They said it was unacceptable that Zambia could be having diseases like cholera. This is how Dr Boniface Kawimbe earned himself a nickname as Mr. Cholera. Dr Kawimbe was one of the MMD leaders then who strongly used the cholera problem as a campaign issue. Over 8000 Zambians had died from cholera.
Why is it that Zambia today still experiences cholera, 17 years after the MMD came to power and promised to eradicate the disease?
It is clear that there is no political will to eradicate this embarrassing disease in our country. If there was political will to decisively deal with this matter, cholera could have been a disease of the past in Zambia. The solution to this problem is known but there is no political will to implement it. If poor sanitation is the main cause of cholera, the provision of the same through either central government or the local authority is the answer to this problem. But because there is no political will from those in authority, nothing is done to upgrade the lives of our people in these areas which are more susceptible to cholera.
Last year, the government spent more than K15 billion to unblock and create some drainage system in Kanyama Constituency. This was after many lives had been lost to cholera. And we know that the government was forced to spend that money because there was a parliamentary by-election in Kanyama at the time, which they wanted to win at all costs. However, the people of Kanyama questioned the timing of this intervention by the government. In the end, an opposition candidate won.
The point we are making is that if the government used that K15 billion to improve the drainage system in Kanyama prior to the rains, floods could have been avoided and therefore very few cases of cholera could have been reported.
Now, it appears that cholera is here to stay. Our government leaders do not seem to have an idea how to deal with this problem. They seem not to understand that prevention is better than cure. Why should the government be setting aside so many billions of kwacha to treat cholera and not prevent it by providing citizens with clean water and good sanitation?
The late president Levy Mwanawasa showed some level of commitment to eradicating cholera, which commitment seems to have died with him. Levy introduced a Make Zambia Clean and Health campaign which encouraged people to observe hygiene on one hand while on the other hand encouraged the government to lead by example through the provision of clean water and good sanitation. Under this programme, we saw Lusaka city being swept clean. But today, Lusaka is a garbage city again. How can cholera be stopped when those in authority are encouraging street vending by doing nothing to stop it? Meat and other foodstuffs are sold on the streets in the most unhygienic conditions.
A healthy man is a wealthy man. Health is usually linked to the development of any country. Where people are unhealthy, there will be no production and no development in the end.
Levy set a good example by starting a campaign for cleanliness at a household level while at the same time committing his government to providing for its people in terms of clean water and good sanitation. Under this programme, we saw some water projects being commissioned in Lusaka’s Matero township and several vehicles were bought for garbage collection. Street vendors all over the country were discouraged or completely stopped.
And these efforts paid off as we saw from cholera statistics. There was a huge drop in cholera cases and deaths.
This time, cholera cases were reported even before the onset of the rains in October. The last rainy season, Zambia experienced some floods but the cases of cholera were not as many.
If Zimbabwe is able to contain cholera, with all the problems in that country, why should Zambia fail to eradicate the disease?
There is need for our government to find a lasting solution to this cholera problem. The billions of kwacha that are misapplied or plundered by politicians and other public workers can be utilised to sink boreholes for our people or generally provide clean water and good sanitation. With political will, cholera can be fought and defeated. All efforts should be directed at preventing cholera and not treating it. It is more costly to treat than to prevent.
Labels: CHOLERA, GERRY CHANDA, UTILITIES
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Kanyama MP blames govt over cholera in his area
Written by Gloria Siwisha and Gillian Namungala
Wednesday, January 14, 2009 9:49:51 AM
KANYAMA PF member of parliament Colonel Gerry Chanda yesterday urged the government to urgently work towards improving sanitation standards as a long-term solution to combating cholera.
And Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr Canicius Banda yesterday disclosed that the Zambian government had released K2 billion (US$ 400,000) to assist Zimbabwe deal with its cholera outbreak.
In an interview, Col Chanda complained that he was not satisfied with the way the government was handling the cholera outbreak in his area because intensified preparations should have been made during the dry season.
“For me its carelessness on government's part because cholera is one issue that is very easy to solve. All that is required is to improve the hygiene standards all the time. We don't have to wait for an outbreak for people to act or realise that poor sanitation has always been an issue in Kanyama. It pains me as area MP when I look at the pathetic sanitation standards,” he said.
Poor water and sanitation system has been blamed on the spread of cholera in Zambia.
However, Col Chanda expressed happiness that the Ministry of Health had managed to supply chlorine but that more was still needed if the situation was to be contained.
“The situation is better than it was last year maybe because the shallow wells were limed, but we are not completely happy that there hasn't been much collaboration with the minister. I want to see a situation where we work together with him so that long term measures are put in place,” said Col Chanda.
And Speaking during on 'Let the people talk' programme on Radio Phoenix yesterday, Dr Banda disclosed that Zambia had released K2 billion to assist Zimbabwe address cholera.
“The president [Rupiah Banda] was concerned with the cholera situation in Zimbabwe and directed a team of medical personnel who have since submitted a report resulting in the release of K2 billion,” said Dr Banda
“As I speak, officers are putting logistics and trucks to start off for Zimbabwe to assist in the crisis.”
As for Zambia, Dr Banda said out of the 769 cholera cases recorded in Lusaka, 472 were from Kanyama compound.
He said Lusaka had received 769 cholera cases from September to date.
Dr Banda observed that the cases had been recorded from settlements that were not environmentally conducive.
Dr Banda, who said cholera occurred as a result of poor sanitation and dirty drinking water, said areas without such facilities were prone to cholera.
He catalogued Chipata, Chawama and Kanyama compounds as some of the areas which were mostly hit by the disease.
He said in Northern and Luapula provinces, the ministry had not recorded any cholera cases.
Dr Banda, however said 28 deaths had so far been recorded out of the reported cholera cases.
He further stressed the need for upgrading settlements that were not environmentally conducive if cases were to be eliminated.
“The Ministry of Local Government, I am sure, is working on this to ensure that such areas have piped water, schools and clinics. Areas where these things are, there are no cases of cholera. There is need for educating the population because it's not common to hear an educated person fall sick but most of the people that are affected are uneducated.”
Dr Banda however said addressing cholera needed a multi-sectoral approach.
“A number of society departments should play their roles to ensure there is no cholera,” he said.
Dr Banda urged members of the community to get to the hospital when they see that they have cholera because the ministry had the capacity to respond to the disease.
And authorities in Mazabuka have closed four more basic schools in chief Hanjalika's area where cholera has broken out.
But St Josephs, which is located 100 metres from the cholera centre, has been spared on grounds that school authorities would be required to enforce stiff disciplinary measures for pupils going out of bounds.
Mazabuka District Education Board Secretary Darius Kaluba confirmed the development to ZANIS in Mazabuka yesterday.
Kaluba said the closure of the schools follows a fresh outbreak of the disease in Chivuna area where five villagers were admitted to the clinic which has since been turned into a cholera centre.
Labels: CHOLERA, GERRY CHANDA, UTILITIES
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LWSC bemoans failure by govt institutions to pay bills
Written by Lambwe Kachali
Monday, January 12, 2009 6:34:18 AM
LUSAKA Water and Sewerage Company (LWSC) has said the company’s cash flow last year was adversely affected by non-payment of water bills by government institutions.
LWSC public relations manager Simon Mwale yesterday said as at December 30, 2008, government institutions owed the company a total of about K20.3 billion, thereby denying the company the much needed revenue to improve service delivery to the people of Lusaka.
He also noted that LWSC faced a number of challenges last year ranging from increased input to frequent power outages.
Mwale said as a result of power outages, the company also lost 24, 000 production hours which affected the pumping capacity.
He said although LWSC made tremendous progress in meeting water and sanitation requirements in terms of improved service delivery, the company was mindful that most people, especially in low-income areas still did not receive required or quality water services.
“Despite the challenges faced last year, however, we can say that it has been a fairly successful year for LWSC. The water supply in a number of areas was stable and we were able to improve supply to many parts of the city like Hillview, Nyumba Yanga, New Avondale and Matero which were water-stressed during the same period last year,” he said.
Mwale said the company would focus on enhancing supply capacity and reliability of infrastructure.
Labels: LSWC, SIMON MWALE, UTILITIES
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Nkana Water in need of US $120 million
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:23:51
NKANA Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) needs over US $120 million for the improvement of its infrastructure to cope with the existing and increasing demand for water supply and sewerage services.
In an interview, managing director Diana Makwaba also acknowledged the challenges that
rapidly expanding towns such as Kitwe, Kalulushi and Chambishi were putting on the water utility.
Last week, the government contracted a US $57 million loan from African Development Bank (AfDB) on behalf of the water utility for improvement of water reticulation to the areas supplied by NWSC.
Makwaba said dilapidated and overloaded infrastructure was one of the factors affecting the smooth operation of the company and the provision of quality services.
She also said the investment was necessary to improve service delivery and place the company on the path to self-sustainability.
"This loan by the African Development Bank will greatly assist us to quickly rehabilitate and expand a substantial part of our infrastructure and in turn help us achieve sustainable service provision,” Makwaba said.
“As a company, we remain committed to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by ensuring that a larger part of our population have access to clean water whilst at the same extend our water reticulation network to dry areas, peri-urban and new residential areas."
And Makwaba commended the government for contracting the loan on behalf of the NWSC, saying that this clearly demonstrated the government’s commitment to improving water and sanitation provision to its people.
“We greatly appreciate this financial support which, no doubt, substantially augments our own efforts directed towards service delivery improvement to all our customers,” said Makwaba.
Labels: DIANA MAKWABA, NKANA WATER AND SEWAGE COMPANY, UTILITIES
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Harare water supplies resume
Staff reporter
Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:29:00 +0000
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority has resumed pumping water into Harare on Tuesday, a day after supplies were shut down completely, forcing many businesses and government departments to close. Harare's Central Business District was the first to receive water, but at very low pressure. Residents in The Avenues in Harare reported that water was flowing, "but very slowly".
"We were beginning to have a crisis as toilets could not be flushed, but today we were ablt to do that as water supplies resumed," said Nyasha Katendere who spoke to the Zimbabwe Guardian.
"The situation was unbearable, but we hope the resumption of supplies is now permanent," she added.
A survey by this reporter, however, revealed that many surburbs in Harare remained dry as Zinwa was still struggling with procurement of essential chemicals needed for water purification.
Although supplies had resumed, many residents in Harare and nationwide remained desperate for water, with most of them foraging from manholes, roadside pools and open standpipes in areas that had water.
"We were lucky to get water from our neighbour who has a borehole and a swimming pool," said Chengetai Kamoto of Greendale.
"This cannot be a permanent situation. My neighbours have been very helpful, but I cannot push my luck."
Zinwa reported Monday that it was forced to stop pumping into the water reticulation system for Harare when purification chemicals ran out.
The Zimbabwe Guardian understands that ons of raw effluent were pumped into Lake Chivero, Harare's main source of water, because the treatment works had collapse. This exacerbated the problem and water could not be drawn from Chivero.
Tsungirai Shoriwa, spokesperson for Zinwa reported on Monday that some chemicals had been delivered on Monday, allowing pumping to resume later to the city centre and a few other areas.
"Other areas are expected to start accessing water as the week progresses, but it depends on the availability of chemicals," he said.
Harare City Council was the first to benefit from the resumption of supplies and workers were encouraged to report for work on Tuesday and for the rest of the week.
PARTNERSHIP IN WATER PURIFICATION EFFORTS
South Africa’s Department of Health and Social Development is involved in Zimbabwe's water purification efforts.
The department will assist the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) in water purification and sewer treatment. Te two authorities say they will target water supply and sewer reticulation, particularly where effluent is flowing into the Limpopo River, which is the main source of water for both Beitbridge and Musina residents.
South Africa entered into an agreement with the Musina Municipality to help in transporting adequate clean water to Beitbridge.
Once the water treatment starts functioning properly, the water tanks would be connected to the Zinwa purification plant through the main pipeline.
Labels: CHOLERA, HARARE, UTILITIES, WATER
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Chitungwiza residents sue Zinwa
Court Reporter
CHITUNGWIZA Residents and Ratepayers’ Association yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Zimbabwe National Water Authority for failure to provide constant clean water and failure to repair broken sewers in the town.
The application for an order for "specific performance" filed at the High Court comes at a time when the Government is battling to control the spread of the cholera epidemic.
The association cited Zinwa as the respondent in the matter to be set down for hearing in due course.
The residents association, which is being represented by Matsikidze and Mucheche law firm, want the court to order Zinwa to constantly supply them clean water and ensure all broken and blocked sewer pipes are timeously repaired and replaced.
CRRA chairman Mr Arthur Taderera said he had tried in vain to seek the assistance of Zinwa to rectify water and sewer reticulation problems.
Mr Taderera said his family was in danger following the cholera outbreak because of the non-availability of clean water.
"Due to their lack of diligence and constant supplies of clean water to my place of residence, diseases like cholera surfaced and people are dying," he said.
Mr Taderera said the sewer system at his house was broken and has not been attended to.
"There are large pools of raw sewerage in our streets, posing a danger to young children and also ourselves," he said. Mr Taderera further claimed that the negligence by Zinwa to perform its mandate was a clear violation of his fundamental right to life as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
"There is nothing which we can do as the respondent has exclusive jurisdiction and control all water resources.
"It is an offence for me to even try to fix the sewer system on my own because that is the exclusive prerogative of the respondent."
Mr Taderera claimed that if Zinwa was not ordered to perform its mandate it would not act, as history proves so.
He said the court should compel Zinwa to provide constant clean water supplies and repair broken sewers.
Zinwa recently received foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe to deal with water and sewer problems.
Labels: UTILITIES, ZINWA
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Lilongwe Water Board: Utility provider on death bed?
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Nyakuchenya Ganda 18 November, 2008 02:25:00
Recent shocking confessions by Lilongwe Water board’s Publicist that Lilongwe residents had been drinking un-chlorinated water for two weeks are a source of concern regarding the way our utility providers should perform.
Like all poorly informed messengers, the Publicist was obviously out of his element when he inarticulately tried to justify the shambled status of his paymaster by veering even further into the wilderness with impotent assertions that only bathed him in huge gales of ridicule.
Do not get me wrong folks. This is not a Mutharika problem. It dates all the way back to the virgin years of our independence when water and electricity supplies were put on the back burner in favor of the disgusting pursuits of “crocodile” politics.
A lot of money was invested in training human demolition experts like Robbie Liabunya, Francis Mphepo and Mr. B.B. Mtumodzi to hone their “liquidation skills” instead of investing in the public utility sector.
It is a matter of universal acquaintance that our general utility providers play a momentous role in this country. However, judging from these outrageous revelations, we may be inclined to wonder as to whether the leadership of these public utilities is enthusiastically aware of their contributions and responsibility to the now endangered consumers
.
Given the failure of our public utility bulldogs to hang on to proficient, specialized staff and modern working technologies, public utility bodies in Malawi are unable to realize that their potholed approach to business and service delivery can not afford them the sanctuary that may assist them in doing profitable business continuously.
The point worth noting is that abandoned cost recuperation has acknowledged considerable concentration as an impediment to rivalry in the public utility industry. Therefore, addressing revenue issues with taxpayer subvention and partisan handling of government-confessed utilities tilts against or annihilates up-and-coming entities that would like to participate in the public utility sector.
Thus, in the absence of specialized competition the quality of service rendered is of below par grade to the point of failing to chlorinate water in the Capital City of the sovereign state of Malawi! Who really wants to see our president suffering from Cholera?
This is why government needs to open the market to create a competitive environment to encourage new investors to provide gung ho service to the endangered clients, while at the same time allowing the sleeping Executives welter in dormancy in the private toilets of their plush or obscenely lavish offices.
In the non-existence of the effort to assist clients in compliance with the statutes and regulations applicable to public service corporations, much of the compliance work for utility clients, which involves identification and resolution of problem areas before they rise to the level of complaint proceedings or adversarial hearings is not tackled in time either.
In addition to providing water and electricity to the public, our public utility providers should also endeavor to protect our water supply from tremendous pressures to develop watershed lands in the environs of the water and power sources, to conserve water to protect against drought and to meet the demands of our growing population. This is not even the usual Technicolor hallucination. It is a basic requirement.
Our utility suppliers should have addressed these basics long time ago. Nevertheless, one of the reasons why this could not happen is that all the three governments used these organizations as cows whose resources they could milk to extinction.
Is it not a waste of resources that semiliterate political appointees and sometimes corrupt sickly Chiefs are generally the people entrusted with chairing the boards of these entities, while relatable professionals are left bemusedly watching the massive abuses of office from the side walks?
You really do not need to be a PhD holder to realize how futile this approach is.
The water supply drought and black outs in our major cities are a very big embarrassment and a source of corruption and diseases.
On one hand consumers inevitably resort to using unhealthy water sources in the face of the droughts as reported by Lilongwe Water board and on the other the providers take advantage of the technical problems to solicit illegal payments from consumers in exchange for the water and power supply.
Obviously, the macrocosms of water are the rivers. To watch the rivers as they flow through the river basins is to witness not only the hydrology of the rivers, but the politics and economics that they drive.
In that context all the water users along the drainage are potential fatalities of what happens in the rivers either directly or indirectly.
So far, our Water Boards and Electricity Provider have failed to become national leaders for quality, infrastructure management, and planning. Much of the pristine land in our beautiful country is facing a bleak future in that the government is not doing enough to protect it by enforcing environmental policies that will curtail any abusive use by the public.
Just a note to take home: public utilities have many obligations to the consumers in their areas of service.
Their duties include: the duties to serve—that is public utilities are beholden to make available service on realistic provisions to anyone who pays for that service—as they have the duty to offer harmless and satisfactory service to all customers.
Labels: UTILITIES
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Western Water to acquire title deeds
By Nyambe Muyumbana in Mongu
Tuesday September 23, 2008 [04:00]
WESTERN Water and Sewerage Company managing director Mulemwa Akamana has announced that the company is in the process of engaging a lawyer who would acquire title deeds for all its land and property.
In an interview, Akamana said that currently squatters were being allocated land by the traditional authority on the company's well field making it difficult to expand its boreholes.
Akamana complained that it was difficult for the company to chase the squatters from the well field because Mongu council, which was supposed to clear the issue of land boundary, since the company had inherited its entire water infrastructure from it, had failed to intervene.
He said that the Barotse Royal Establishment was not willing to listen to the company but instead it was busy allocating land near the boreholes to the people.
He feared that the water risked being contaminated by the people since some of them were building pity latrines close to the boreholes.
He cited an incident last year where faecal matter was found in the water.
Akamana hoped the lawyer to be contracted would manage to engage the traditional authority and find a lasting solution to the current encroachment by the people on the water company's land.
The company has no title for all its entire property.
He further said that the current problem of squatters encroaching on the company's land had negatively stalled the company's expansion projects on the boreholes.
Akamana further disclosed that the company had however identified other new alternatives, which could be possible well field areas.
He named the new alternative areas as Kasima and Katongo.
Akamana said a hydrology consultant had already been engaged to do the testing of water in the said areas to ascertain whether the water would be consumable and also to determine quantity and quality compared to the current demand.
Labels: TITLE DEEDS, UTILITIES, WESTERN WATER AND SEWERAGE COMPANY
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Masebo ties provision of safe water to MDGs
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Saturday September 20, 2008 [04:00]
THE provision of safe water and adequate sanitation is critical to the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), local government and housing minister Sylvia Masebo has said.
During the handover of 14 project vehicles to 12 districts for the water sector programme support yesterday, Masebo said in order to promote sustainable provision of affordable and socially acceptable safe water supply to the rural population, the government through her ministry had mobilised financial and technical assistance from the Royal Danish Embassy to drill 785 boreholes in 12 districts.
She said these include all the seven districts of Western Province, two districts in Lusaka namely Kafue and Chongwe and the three districts in Southern Province namely Kalomo, Itezhi-Tezhi and Namwala.
"The 785 boreholes are only for the first contract. By 2010, we intend to construct and rehabilitate about 1,600 boreholes in the 12 districts. This is expected to greatly improve the water supply situation in the respective districts," she said.
Masebo said the principle of community contribution of five per cent towards the cost of water supply infrastructure development and 100 per cent towards the cost of operation and maintenance should be clearly explained to the beneficiaries.
She said it was government's belief that community financial contribution towards construction and maintenance of water supply facilities would contribute to community sense of ownership of facilities and promote sustainable water supply.
Masebo said this was important for sustainable provision of clean and safe drinking water, which was necessary for reducing outbreaks of waterborne diseases, which contribute to ill-health and poverty in most rural areas.
And Danish Embassy Charge d'Affairs to Zambia Peter Jul Larsen said the vehicles to be handed over were part of Denmark's support to the water sector, which in its current phase was a five-year water sector support programme with a budget of approximately K200 billion in the period 2005 to 2010.
He said as part of its contribution to the water sector, the Zambian government had committed a budget totalling approximately K16 billion for the same period.
"These vehicles were procured at a cost of US$355,000 as part of the five year Danida Water Sector Programme Support to Zambia. These new vehicles should significantly improve the capacity of the 12 districts and the Western Water Company to implement the on- going rural and rural water supply and sanitation components of the national water and sanitation programmes," said Larsen.
Labels: MDGs, SYLVIA MASEBO, UTILITIES
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Masebo scolds utilities seeking pay rise
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Tuesday August 12, 2008 [04:00]
LOCAL government minister Sylvia Masebo has castigated water utility companies for
trying to increase their salaries at the expense of providing clean and safe drinking water to Zambians. And Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe praised Masebo for being a renovation of leadership in Zambian politics.
Speaking when she launched this year's 'Keep Zambia clean and healthy' programme at the Livingstone Civic Centre, Masebo said the Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWASCO) and other water utility companies in the country had a tendency of improving their workers' salaries instead of improving services.
"Even before you talk about increasing water tariffs, let's improve our services. People will appreciate the tariff increases. Do not increase salaries at the expense of the people we are claiming to be serving," she said. "There is no excuse for SWASCO not to improve water supply in Livingstone being the tourist capital and the largest share holder in the company."
Masebo also took a swipe at some Zambians' way of life saying people still had a tendency to be dirty.
"We are faced with a big challenge to change people's mindset. I know that it takes a lot of time as a lot of people had forgotten to keep clean," she said. "Many people still don't want to bath or comb their hair. People still want to go into the bush to answer the call of nature instead of using the toilets. People still want to drink dirty water. However, the general reaction to this programme has improved."
Masebo thanked the women of Livingstone women for joining hands to clean the streets daily on a voluntary basis.
"The United Nations has declared 2008 as a year of sanitation and one of the challenges is that in some towns there are no toilets and people are forced to go behind a tree to answer the call of nature when pressed. I commend the Livingstone City Council for having built a fourth public toilet in the city centre," she said.
However, Masebo castigated Livingstone City Council for having no water in the mayor's toilet.
"Don't tell me that there is no water at the falls. If you have problems with your pipes, sink a borehole here. You are not in a village. How do you tell people to keep clean if you don't have water at the civic centre?" she asked.
"I need to thank Livingstone women for cleaning the streets. Livingstone has changed a lot but there is more that needs to be done."
Masebo also said she was always inspired to listen to Munkombwe as he is an inspiration to the young.
And Munkombwe said even at the age of 76, he has striven to work hard and urged people to do likewise.
"What I’m saying is that young lady (Masebo) you have made a grade, you are a renovation of leadership. As for you people in Livingstone if you chose to be backward, other people in other towns will be ahead of you," he said.
Munkombwe said despite being a minister, his wife had joined the women's group who go round in Livingstone to clean the streets on a voluntary basis.
"My wife here is a graduate but she is sweeping here in the streets. If you employ a worker to clean your house, it is also okay for you to be found cleaning the house. Forget about your status in society," Munkombwe said.
Labels: LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SYLVIA MASEBO, UTILITIES
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Prudent management of our water sector
By Editor
Friday June 27, 2008 [04:00]
UNLESS we pay special attention to the challenges our people are facing in the water sector, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to bring about sustainable socioeconomic development to our country. We are well aware of the staggering human and economic cost of our crisis in water and sanitation. It is the poor who feel the most immediate and damaging effects of this crisis.
Not only does this crisis hurt the poor disproportionately - it keeps them poor too. Therefore, ensuring that the poor have access to water is central to achieving all the Millennium Development Goals.
Attaining the goals, including those for water and sanitation, is possible. We do have the knowledge and we can build or mobilise the financial capacity required to address the water crisis.
What is missing is sufficient political will, and concerted and agreed action. This is where our commitment is needed.
We say this because our water crisis is attributable much more to an absence of power, wealth and control than to an absence of water.
We have large rivers, big lakes, vast wetlands and limited, but widespread groundwater resources. Moreover, we have a high potential for hydroelectric power development.
Those most affected - the poor, women and children - don't get enough clean, affordable water because they have the least voice in policy and decision-making.
And as Transparency International Zambia has emphasised, governance is the key to addressing this inequality. Sustaining inclusive economic growth requires the development of water resources.
But investment into water management and major water infrastructure often excludes or even negatively impacts the poor, magnifying inequalities and widening the economic gap between the rich and poor. Pro-poor impact must take greater precedence in policy-making, as well as investment in water.
Improving water governance and boosting investment in water brings returns in a broad spectrum of human development: within a decade, it would almost certainly significantly reduce income poverty, hunger, disease, child mortality, gender inequality and environmental degradation.
We need a governance strategy which strategically targets accelerating the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goal targets on water to address the crisis and this includes financial and human resource commitments.
There is no question that we can mobilise resources required to address this water crisis. There is also no question that the required investment would bring tremendous returns.
And it is important to refer ourselves back to a statement in the Africa Water Vision of 2025, which says:
"It is apparent that water and socio-economic development are mutually dependent on each other. They can be nodes in a vicious cycle that puts societies in a downward spiral of poor economic development and poor access to safe and adequate water supply and sanitation.
Alternatively, they can be nodes in a virtuous cycle, reinforcing each other in an autocatalytic way, and leading to an upward spiral in which improved socio-economic development produces resources needed for improved development of water resources that, in turn, buttress and stimulate further socio-economic development."
We believe this is a very apt statement that depicts the vital nature of water, and nowhere is this statement more relevant than in our context.
Given this rather poignant linkage between water and socio-economic development therefore, it is evident that the efficient and sustainable use as well as the protection of water resources must underpin the belief that is enshrined in the New Partnership for Africa's Development by African heads of states that we can break free of poverty and overcome the 'development trap' that confines us to a vicious cycle of underdevelopment, conflict and suffering.
And efficient and sustainable use of water resources would catalyse our rejuvenation and lead to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
We must however face several challenges if the envisaged desirable outcomes for the water sector are to be achieved.
Financing the interventions required to meet these challenges is a huge challenge by itself, given our economic context. Huge amounts of money would be required to be able to meet these challenges. The huge financing requirement may further compound the path to ensure successful outcomes.
It is however our conviction that, given clear policies and strategies and real commitments to implementation, the challenges of the Millennium Development Goals could be met, and water would help eradicate poverty, reduce water-related diseases and help us achieve sustainable development.
We will not make much progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals unless we develop approaches that have a common goal of improved water supply and sanitation services.
Action should be undertaken to increase public awareness and strengthen the political will needed for sustainable development and management of water resources. And the building of human and institutional capacity is crucial for the implementation of whatever schemes we come up with.
The level of financial resources needed calls for a renewed, bold commitment and approach by all stakeholders. In this respect, innovative ways of raising finance are required.
It is clear to us that the Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of people without adequate water and sanitation by 2015 cannot be met without a major paradigm shift in this sector.
And if increased investment is critical, even more critical is the urgent need to find more successful mechanisms for providing the poor with water and sanitation. It is interesting to note that in the 1980s, corruption and poor governance were the major reasons cited by most aid agencies and development banks for withdrawing from large-scale capital projects in this sector.
Many local authorities still underestimate the importance of inclusive practices of good governance in priotising the delivery of services to the people. Successful water demand management at the level of the local authority can reap benefits for the whole community.
We must wake up to these realities; the international community has set the targets, but if we are not to meet this challenge, then we must be prepared to look at everything anew.
We must reassess our strategies; we must look at our policies again and ask why we failed in the past; we must innovate strategies of meeting global goals through local action; we must invest more funds in water and sanitation infrastructure.
Most of all, we must wake up to the fact that one of our greatest challenges is poverty.
As water is essential to life, lack of it can undermine human security.
We should now double our efforts in this sector. Good governance needs to be promoted and capacity must be built for us to pursue appropriate water policies, and financial resources should be properly directed to the water sector in a more efficient and effective way, in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in the water and sanitation sector, and to reverse the current trend of environmental degradation through the protection and balanced management of natural resources.
The greatest challenge lies in building competent, efficient, business-like, and service-oriented institutions. But we shouldn't forget that sustainable service provision is only possible where customers themselves cover the cost of operation and maintenance, capital costs recovery is not always possible, but often requires predictable public subsidies.
If we are ever to attain the Millennium Development Goals, greater levels of finance will need to be raised, and sound systems of governance should be in place to manage them.
There is need for us to realise that supplying clean water to people, at the scale required to achieve international targets, would require more than laying some pipes. To attain internationally agreed water targets all sources of finance should be tapped. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals would require us to at least double the existing finance.
And there is no question that a prerequisite for achieving these targets would be an improvement of the sector’s governance, better cost recovery and some national public funding. And whatever we do, we should not ignore financing options to reach the poor. Economic growth depends in the very first place on social progress.
Labels: UTILITIES, WATER
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$380 trillion project complete
Herald Reporter
The $380 trillion Lochinvar-Marimba water pipeline, the only long-term solution to water shortages in Budiriro and Glen View is now complete, a Zinwa official has said. In an interview yesterday, Project Engineer Richard Kunyadini said a Chinese company completed the project on Tuesday.
"The project was carried out because we had noticed that some western suburbs particularly Budiriro and Glen View were getting water in odd hours like 12 midnight or 1am because the 350mm pipes which were delivering water were taking time to fill the reservoirs.
"We laid 450mm pipelines and we expect the bigger pipes to boost water deliveries to the Marimba reservoirs, which feed Budiriro and Glen View, the perennial water shortage suburbs," he said.
The project, which was funded to the tune of $380 trillion by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, had been stopped early this year because of the shortage of some material needed. Meanwhile, the desludging exercise at Firle, Crowborough and Zengeza waste-water treatment plants is almost complete. The project is seen as critical in the reduction of water pollution, inflicted on rivers by ecological accumulators from industry, agriculture, mining and partially treated sewer water.
Engineer Simon Muserere, who is in charge of the desludging project, yesterday said the exercise was expected to improve the operational capacity of the sewerage works. Contractors that are carrying out Zinwa projects have, however, called on the authority to pay them timeously to avoid delays.
"Sometimes we are forced to stop work because the authority does not pay us in time and sometimes because it does not provide us with materials needed for the projects," said one contractor.
Labels: UTILITIES, ZIMBABWE
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