Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is considering partnering with a groundwater extraction company, which has previous experience in finding water in desert areas as the local authority continues exploring possible short-term measures to curb water shortages.
The partnership comes after council resolved, in March this year, to work with key stakeholders to develop a plan for the development and management of the possible groundwater resources.
According to a council report, the local authority got a letter of intent from Primary Water, a company that specialises in the extraction of groundwater from deep inside the earth that would not dry even in dry conditions and during severe droughts.
“They have found water in the Kalahari Desert, Great Namib Desert and other impossible locations with a 100 percent success rate over 20 years. This water source does not depend on rain or weather, giving Bulawayo reliable water security regardless of climate conditions.
“The cost of extraction of the water ranges from £450 000 for a source with a daily water capacity of 250 cubic metres and serving approximately 2 500 people and £1,5 million for a source with 1 000 cubic metres daily, serving 10 000 people. These prices include all operational work and costs but, however, vary based on the geological conditions,” reads the report.
The company revealed that the lead time for the project was 30 to 60 days.
“The system uses advanced underground scanning technology to locate water-bearing cracks in deep rock formations. The drilling uses only compressed air (no chemicals) to depths of 200-400 metres.
“Their financing models include, staggered payments with small preparation fee (US$50 000) followed by final payment after water delivery, international development funding coordination with World Bank, African Development Bank or donor organisations, extended payment terms spread over multiple budget cycles and public private partnership arrangements,” reads the report.
To this end, the local authority has since resolved that their water and sanitation department, together with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), the custodians of underground water, will review the letter of intent from Primary Water to see how they can engage them in the extraction of underground water.
Meanwhile, the local authority is set to continue with its public engagements towards the formation of a privatised Water and Sanitation Utility.
The utility, which will be wholly-owned by the local authority has, however, faced opposition from residents in the city.
According to a council report the local authority has since resolved to continue stakeholder engagement on the issue while also expediting submissions to the Government of the Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Utility proposal.
“The City of Bulawayo’s proposed establishment of a Council wholly-owned Water and Sanitation Utility to oversee Water and Sanitation service delivery is in sync with the National Policy, as Central Government has adopted a position that local authorities should partner with the private sector in the provision of water and solid waste management services.
“The city is in the process of consulting stakeholders on the establishment of a 100 percent owned Water and Sanitation Utility. During other previous engagements with the parent ministry officials, on the case of Bulawayo, it was disclosed that the city had achieved significant progress towards the formation of a Council-owned Public Water and Sanitation Utility,” reads the report.
The local authority further noted that, guided by the Minimum Service Delivery Standards Framework In Local Authorities which was launched by President Mnangagwa it was now imperative for them to finalise the preferred utility model for the city for onward submission to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
