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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Construction of a treatment plant at Kunzvi Dam, which will supply water to the eastern areas of Harare Metropolitan on completion, has started after the company that won the tender moved in last week.
This comes as the Second Republic continues with high impact dam construction projects countrywide to boost agricultural production, provide potable water and install mini-hydro power schemes.
President Mnangagwa’s vision has seen forgotten projects, that include Kunzvi Dam, being resuscitated and completed as the Government seeks to transform the lives of ordinary people, particularly in rural areas.
In an interview at the dam site yesterday, resident engineer Engineer Davison Madondo said a tender to construct the water treatment plant was awarded to Makomo Engineering firm, a local firm specialising in dam construction.
“The site handover was done last week. The contractor moved in this week with their equipment comprising dousers to take some samples of material to find out if they are suitable for our foundation.
“This week, we are running around to inform the District Development Coordinator for Goromonzi so that he can inform traditional leaders, chiefs, headmen and village heads about that information and any other traditional rituals that might need to be done,” said Eng Madondo.
“As soon as we finish those activities the contractor will start in earnest. In fact the contractor is actually pushing us that he needs to now make site establishment but we value our traditional values, we need to inform traditional leaders, otherwise everything is set,” he said.
“The capacity of the treatment plant is 10 000 cubic meters per hour. It is going to supply Harare and other service centres along the way. Basically as soon as the dam is completed the plant must be ready to receive raw water from the dam for treatment then the purified water will be pumped into Harare. It will have a major impact on potable water demand in Harare,” he said.
He said the plant will be located at a nearby farm whose owner they had since agreed terms.
“For the treatment plant it will be on an A2 farm and we have already communicated with the owner, he is agreeable to have his farm used for the treatment plant. We have moved around with the farmer together where he showed us the boundaries,” said Eng Madondo.
“On the issue of relocation of people affected by dam construction, we are now waiting for 57 families to be compensated and relocated.
“The evaluation has been done and what now remains is the compensation, they are 57 people on the centre line and spillway but there are some on the basin that also needs to be relocated.”
Kunzvi dam will ensure water supply for north-east and eastern Harare, Chitungwiza and Ruwa and is situated on the confluence of the Nora and Nyaguwe rivers in Goromonzi district. Being to the north and east of Harare the major pumping required from the existing dams on the Manyame River into the ring of high ground overlooking the eastern half of Harare Metropolitan will not be required.
Kunzvi Dam was planned decades ago, but was continually postponed, mainly over financing and a false belief that the existing water sources were adequate.
The Second Republic has put at the top of its agenda infrastructure development that will serve as a springboard towards attainment of an upper middle income economy by 2030 in line with National Development Strategy1.
The Government is currently constructing more than 10 high impact dams countrywide that are set to be a panacea to the given areas’ perennial problems.
The development of dam projects is part of long term plans to support smallholder irrigation, boost food and agricultural production and to harness water for industrial and domestic use in major towns, cities and growth points.
Online Reporter