Gweru receives water pumps from Govt Clr Makombe

Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
GWERU City’s perennial water woes will soon be over after the city council last week received four water pumps that were bought by Government.

Government, through the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry, sourced the four water pumps from South Africa for US$440 000.

Ironically, the local authority had earlier indicated that it required US$6 million for the pumps.

Councillors recently cornered council management on how it came up with the ridiculous figure when Government was able to buy the pumps at less than half a million.

In an interview, Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe confirmed that they had received the pumps and were expecting a team of engineers from South Africa yesterday to start installing the pumps at Amapongobwe Dam.

This will bring a total number of pumps at the reserve water source to five and increase the city’s water pumping capacity to 80 mega litres a daily.

“Gweru has a daily demand of water of about 90 mega litres a day,” said Clr Makombe.

“The pumps are already here, they were cleared at the border on Sunday.

“We are also expecting a team of engineers to come and install the pumps at Amapongobwe tomorrow (today). Once these pumps are installed, they will have a collective pumping capacity of 80 mega litres a day together with the one which is already there.”

Clr Makombe said Gwenoro Dam was now around 14 percent full and left with five or six percent of water that can be pumped.

He said once it gets to 10 percent, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) will decommission it.

Clr Makombe said Amapongobwe water levels could last the city for the next eight months.

“So, we need the pumps for Amapongobwe Dam, which is about 70 percent full,” he said.

“The pumps we have can meet the city’s daily demand of around 80 to 90 mega litres. Installation has to be done as quickly as possible.”

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey