Chinese water engineers expected tomorrow

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter

CHINESE water engineers who were seconded to upgrade the city’s water delivery system under the US$144 million China Import and Export Bank loan are expected in Zimbabwe today.Town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi yesterday confirmed that the delegation of Chinese engineers will arrive this afternoon.

“I can confirm that a team of Chinese engineers will arrive at Harare International Airport today via an Ethiopian Airways plane. They are expected to start work next week,” he said.

The city has partnered with CMEC of China in the implementation of the project after sourcing funding from China.

This followed complaints by residents that they were not getting enough water and also after realising that the water and sewer distribution network was old and in need of replacement.

Some Chinese engineers last month came to Harare to view all the designs of the plants and the various reticulation systems which they validated after the tour.

The upgrade of water and sewer works is expected to be completed in three years and in the second year of project implementation, 80 percent of Harare residents are envisaged to receive water on a regular basis.

Harare Water currently produces 450 mega-litres a day from Prince Edward and Morton Jaffray waterworks, 100 of which are lost through leaks and dilapidated infrastructure against a normal requirement of 900 mega litres a day.

The daily requirement in September has risen to between 1 200 to 1 500 mega litres due to the prevailing hot temperatures.

At full implementation Morton Jaffray and Prince Edward water treatment plants are expected to produce up to 705 mega litres a day.

Last month Harare City Council officials together with the director of water Engineer Christopher Zvobgo visited China last week to map out the details of the asset supply plan, loan disbursement and selection of suppliers for the city’s water department.
Harare City Council signed the agreement with the Chinese in 2011 as a result of cordial relations between the country and Zimbabwe.