Council receives water master plan from SA company

in a bid to identify projects that are essential to meet the city’s needs in water and sanitation.

The handover of the water and waste-water master plan by Bosch Stemele comes after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Bulawayo and the City of Ethekwini (Durban), which includes co-operation in different  areas of economic development.

 

Following the visit to Bulawayo at the end of 2009 by Ethekwini officials to assess the status of the water and sanitation system, the South African city identified the need and facilitated the development of the master plan. The department of Trade Investment in South Africa contributed $709 000 while Bulawayo City Council paid $665 000.

Speaking during the handover ceremony Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Thaba Moyo expressed gratitude to the Department of Trade and Invest-ment in South Africa, Ethekwini water and sanita-tion and Bosch Stemele for carrying out the study.

“I appreciate the assistance we have received in developing our water and waste-water master plan from key stakeholders. The city started looking into the master plan study after officials from Ethe-kwini water and sanitation assessed the status of our water and waste-water systems,” said Clr Moyo.

“The department of trade and investment in South Africa subsequently provided 55 percent of the total cost while the city council covered 45 percent of the cost.”

Clr Moyo said during the course of the development of the masterplan, the study observed that the city’s infrastructure had deteriorated.

“The masterplan aims to improve the provision of portable water to the residents of Bulawayo and to create viable and sustainable water and waste-water services in the city. It also covers the engineering, operational, maintenances and institutional aspect of water infrastructure in Bulawayo and this will help in future assessments of these systems,” said Clr Moyo.

Mr Speedy Moodliar from Ethekwini Municipality said the master plan was a document to guide the city council.

“The masterplan should be a priority to give strength and guide the City of Bulawayo. We are pleased that there is a lot of progress after a lot of visits in Bulawayo by Ethekwini Municipality.
“The City of Bulawayo is one of the few municipalities in Sub-Saharan Africa to have a master plan of this nature,” said Mr Moodliar.