Vusumuzi Dube
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
RECLAIMED water pipes that were damaged during excavation works under way along Luveve Road have seen parts of Bulawayo’s key strategic facilities put under operational threat.
The facilities include the Barbourfields Stadium, State House and other city council recreational areas city wide.
When council started rehabilitating a section of Luveve Road near Engen Service Station, the scope of works significantly changed due to underground water among other complications that included encountering expansive clay soils, dilapidated water and sewer mains within the works.
That prompted council engineers to facilitate the excavation, bedding, pipe laying, and backfilling of the sub-soil drainage system and pavement reinstatement. During the excavation process, reclaimed water mains were damaged which supply some of the key facilities in the city.
While all other facilities remain critical, Barbourfields Stadium has been put under serious threat as the reclaimed water is used for watering the stadium together with the training pitches.
BCC corporate affairs manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu confirmed this development saying repair works were underway.
It is true that the pipes supplying the stadium with water were damaged. A number of dilapidated leaking reclaimed water mains that cross Luveve Road in the vicinity of the Renkini area were damaged during the excavation works within the works extents.
“These pipes supply reclaimed water to areas which include BF stadium, State House and other city council recreational areas city wide. The repair works are in process. The city is working on procuring the required pipes,” said Mrs Mpofu.
The development has seen council watering the pitch with a bowser as it seeks to keep one of the few public stadiums used in the premier soccer league in shape.
“Council is currently using water bowsers to supply water to the stadium for use in watering the lawn. It is council’s hope that the reclaimed water mains will be restored in the coming two to three weeks’ time,” said Mrs Mpofu.
This comes after the National Sports Stadium in Harare has been suspended from being used as it is in bad state.
The grass turf was now in a bad state and fans have always complained about the poor state of the toilets and ablution services due to the non-functional water reticulation system.
Concerns have however been raised that thousands of football fans in Bulawayo could be exposed to a health time bomb due to the unavailability of water at the stadium.
@nyeve14
Online Reporter