Judith Phiri [email protected]
THE Government has released US$2,3 million towards construction of the Cowdray Park Water Treatment Plant, with the US$81,3 million project expected to take 12 months to complete.
The treatment plant is part of the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, whose other major components are the Lake Gwayi-Shangani and the pipeline connecting the dam to Bulawayo. Implemented by the Government through the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA), the facility will supply treated water to Bulawayo’s municipal network.
Speaking after assessing construction progress at the site on Thursday, Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Dr Anxious Masuka said accelerating the project was critical to addressing Bulawayo’s water challenges.
“We are touring the Cowdray Park Water Treatment Plant, the proposed site and what we have seen now is a site established by the contractor. Here they are actually doing the work in order to complete the accommodation for their workers, but also construction so that the resident engineers can be on site.
“The payment from the Government has now been released to accelerate this project. It must be seen in the broader context of the Second Republic and President Mnangagwa’s desire to ensure that Bulawayo has 80 years of water supply,” he said.
“The pipeline is coming at 240 megalitres a day, the treatment works are at 240 megalitres a day. So, we then convey 10 kilometres to Magwegwe and from there redistribute into the city, at any stage we will have a three-day supply.”
Dr Masuka said Bulawayo requires approximately 165 megalitres of water daily, while the Cowdray Park treatment plant alone would have the capacity to process 240 megalitres a day.
He acknowledged that funding remained a major challenge but said the Ministry was technically prepared to drive the project towards completion.
“We continue to urge Treasury to continue to release the funds as planned so that Bulawayo can receive the water from Gwayi-Shangani, which is the long-term plan.
“While we are here, we will be mindful that we are pumping from Nyamandlovu into Cowdray Park about 20 megalitres a day. We plan to increase that capacity to about 25 to 27 megalitres a day so that part of that water can be utilised for the construction of this mega treatment plant,” he added.
The Government also plans to install solar power infrastructure at the facility to provide backup electricity and ensure continuity of operations.
“We are also going to be putting in solar in order to provide a backup to the electricity that will be supplied to the plant. So, I’m happy with the establishment of the site and I now look forward to the accelerated payment by Treasury which will enable us to meet all the plans. It will take us a year to complete this plant if we receive the financing from Treasury as planned,” he said.
Dr Masuka said the Government would invest US$81,3 million in the treatment works, adding that he had directed engineers to incorporate wastewater management into the project’s broader planning.
He said the engineers had been asked to consider not only how water would be delivered to Bulawayo but also how wastewater generated through consumption would be managed.
The Ministry will develop more comprehensive designs, which will subsequently be discussed with the City of Bulawayo.
ZINWA Water Quality Manager Mr Thulani Sibanda said the authority was encouraged by progress towards implementation of the project, following the release of the initial funding.
“I can confirm that we have received the first tranche of funding towards this project that is about US$2,3 million that we have received and therefore this is going to accelerate all the works that are supposed to be done here at the site.
“Just as our Minister has already indicated we envisage that Bulawayo will be receiving water from this particular project,” he said.
