adminYeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
Chitungwiza Municipality will soon have its first ever properly designed landfill valued at $1,8 million, as the local authority moves to improve waste management within the dormitory town, an official has said.
The local authority has been using a dump site in Unit M over the years where the waste is not being separated and is left uncovered.
In an interview, Environment, Health and Solid Waste manager Mr Herbert Chirowodza said they had budgeted $50 000 for the engineering designs of the landfill this year.
“The process of having a landfill has started and we budgeted $50 000 this year for the engineering designs for the site under our Performance Improvement Plan,” he said. “Construction of the landfill will commence next year.”
The local authority has since set aside $120 000 to buy a fence to secure the current dumpsite.
“The immediate work we have is to fence off the dumpsite and we budgeted $120 000 for that,” said Mr Chirowodza. “We used to have a fence around the site some years ago, but it was vandalised.
“We also want to build a guard room for the municipal officer who will be manning the place at a cost of $25 000. It will consist of an office, glass room and ablution facilities. Currently there is just a shed.”
Mr Chirowodza said council had budgeted $20 000 for an environmental impact assessment to be carried out at the site.
“EMA checks the impact of the refuse dumped on the surrounding environments,” he said. “Knowing the impact it will have on the environment will help us as a local authority to put in place mitigating measures to minimise the impact on the environment.”
Mr Chirowodza said the council intends to construct a weighbridge for $30 000 to measure the quantity of waste being dumped at the site.
He said they were also planning to buy a land compactor and a dozer in 2021.
Online Reporter