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George Maponga in Masvingo
Masvingo City Council has roped in the Infrastructural Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) to mobilise about US$60 million required to finance its long awaited water augmentation project touted as a long term panacea to water woes that have been affecting the city.

Masvingo has been grappling with crippling water shortages blamed on recurrent break down of equipment at the Bushmead Water works plant on the shores of Lake Mutirikwi and also depleted capacity in the wake of a surge in demand for water.

Some suburbs, especially new ones such as Victoria Ranch have been going for weeks without water, a situation that has jolted city fathers into action. Council initially pinned its hopes for a financial package from China Eximbank but has since broadened its spheres by looking for alternatives sources of funding to finance the water upgrade project.

Acting Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa yesterday said a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed with IDBZ marking the start of close co-operation between the two parties to jump start the water project.

“We met IDBZ a few weeks ago and agreed on a draft MoU which both parties are currently scrutinising and we expect to sign the official MoU with the bank in the near future that will pave way for the official start of cooperation between our two parties.
“The MoU will roughly spell out what will be expected of IDBZ and Masvingo City under the agreement,” he said.

Mr Mukaratirwa said the deal inked between council and IDBZ sought to add impetus in the search for funding to undertake the water upgrading project.

“We are no longer looking to China Eximbank only for funding but also other financiers be they local or external. IDBZ will help us in that area (mobilising funding) and that is why we are working with them.”

He said Masvingo city was currently compiling all the required paper work for submission to Government before approval to secure a loan for the water project.

Council had since finished compiling the financial feasibility study report and technical feasibility report together with draft technical designs for the project that will be unwound into a single report for submission to Government. The report we are compiling allows Government to give us borrowing powers for funding for the water project and a guarantee if it is an external loan.

“The project might be granted national project status which will benefit council through relaxation of duty in the importation of machinery and equipment that might be required for the project,” said Mr Mukaratirwa.

The water augmentation project entails duplication of the water pumping, purification, conveyancing and storage infrastructure in the process doubling water supply in the ancient city to 60 megalitres daily from the current 30 megalitres.