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Kunzvi thus will boost security of supplies, increase supplies and ease the management problems in fair distribution.
The Kunzvi Dam site is located 67km northeast of Harare near Juru Growth Point on Nyaguwi River.
The MoU was signed by Water Resources Development and Management Minister Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Ignatius Chombo and representatives of KWDC during the just ended Rural and Urban Council’s Indaba in Victoria Falls.
Also present at the ceremony were council chairpersons and representatives of Ruwa and Epworth among other beneficiaries of the project.
ASLO SEE
Minister Nkomo said KWDC, a consortium of companies, will be tasked with the construction of Kunzvi Dam and its associated waterworks and pipeline.
Minister Nkomo said they were looking at an initial budget of over US$300 million for the project.
Said Minister Nkomo: “Today marks a great day towards the alleviation of water shortages in Harare and its satellite towns.
“The signing ceremony means that the contractor can start working on the project. The Government concluded the Public-Private Partnership last December with a consortium of local, regional and international companies to construct the dam, which should ease Harare’s water shortages.”
He said KWDC was established to implement the project under a Build-Operate-Transfer arrangement.
The corporation includes Government, Locan Holdings, Swede Water Limited, Okada Group from Nigeria and Vince Group of France.
Bigen Africa Consulting Engineers, BKS Group and Dycon from South Africa are the technical advisors.
The engineering and financial advisory team consists of CBZ Bank Limited, Brian Colquhoun, SDP Africa, Deloitte and Finesse Financial Services.
Minister Nkomo said the project was estimated to cost at least US$370 million.
“This estimated cost will go towards the construction of the dam, the pump stations, reservoirs, water treatment works, conveyance and connections to the existing City of Harare network,” he said.
Minister Chombo said he was happy that the project was taking off adding that they had set up a co-ordinating committee to address issues concerning the project.
He also said the Government was satisfied with the capacity of the dam.
“This is a good move and as the Government we will do everything in our power to see it come through. We will be working with the local authorities also,” said Minister Chombo.
When complete, the dam is expected to carry 158.4 million cubic metres and produce 250 000 cubic metres of water daily.
With the Kunzvi works operational, city water managers will have over 700 000 cubic metres a day to supply consumers, with the main pipelines entering the city to the southwest and northeast.
Online Reporter