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Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE City Council requires US$3,7 million to rehabilitate its Dutchman’s Pool Water Treatment Plant if it is to continue supplying water to residents and companies in the mining town.

The country’s second largest water treatment plant after Morton Jaffray in Harare does not only supply water for domestic and commercial use in Kwekwe, but also feeds neighbouring Redcliff.

A tour of the plant by officials from Kwekwe and Redcliff municipalities as well as stakeholders, recently showed that out of nine pumps to efficiently supply water, only four were operational.

Apart from the broken down pumps, the plant was in need of in-let and de-sludge valves, filter beds, multi-stage pump, baffle dishes as well as the rehabilitation of a recycling plant to minimise non-revenue water.

The two local authorities and stakeholders proposed coming up with a taskforce that would spearhead resource mobilization and ensure that the plant was rehabilitated in time.

Acting Kwekwe town clerk, Dr Lucia Mnkandla said the idea of inviting stakeholders to the familiarisation tour came after the local authority realised that it could not go it alone.

Kwekwe City was now struggling to satisfy its needs and those of Redcliff because of an increase in population over the years. The only way to end the water woes was to upgrade the Kwekwe City water works and improve on the plumbing capacity.

“This is the second largest water treatment plant in the country and we have to ensure that it is working. As Kwekwe, we saw the need to invite our Redcliff colleagues as well as other stakeholders so that we put heads together because the demise of the plant means there is no business in the towns,” she said.
Water was a critical component in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic hence the urgent response to the needs of the plant.
Kwekwe City director of works, Engineer John Mhike said: “Out of the four functional pumps, the one which pumps 644mm is the most critical and if anything happens to it we will never be able to supply water to our residents. The other three do not have enough pressure to ensure that the whole city has water,” he said.

Eng Mhike said one of the low lift pumps had been purchased from abroad but the global pandemic had hampered its transportation to the country.
Director of Finance, Mrs Rejoice Maweni said although the local authority had received $10million devolution funds, the money was not enough.
Apart from the Covid-19 induced dwindled cash inflows to council, the local authority was also owed a lot of money by companies.

“Redcliff Municipality owes us $16,8m, Ziscosteel $16,6m and Lancashire Steel owes us $4,1 million. At the same time, we also owe Zinwa (Zimbabwe National Water Authority and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, a situation which leaves us between a hard place and a rock,” she said.
The local authority also required about $5million for the purchase of water chemicals every month.

Redcliff Town Clerk, Mr Gilson Chakauya pledged full support for the refurbishment of the plant and proposed an urgent stakeholders meeting.
The treatment plant draws water from Sebakwe Dam and reserves it in Dutchman’s Pool.