US$9m water project for Harare South complete

Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Reporter

The US$9 million water project set to benefit thousands of Harare South residents has been completed.

Areas that will directly benefit from the water project include Southview Park (commonly referred to as Fidelity), Ushewokunze, Southlands, Stoneridge Park, Hopley and Eyecourt suburbs.

Some of the areas had gone for years without running water. 

Provision of clean water is a top priority under the Second Republic.

President Mnangagwa visited Southlea Park during a clean-up campaign in 2019 and assured residents that his Government would look into their challenges such as lack of access to potable water and sewer systems. While it is the responsibility of Harare City Council to install off-site infrastructure as per the provisions of the Urban Councils Act, it was incapacitated due to financial challenges, resulting in Fidelity Life Assurance of Zimbabwe intervening.

Fidelity Life contracted Masimba Holdings to undertake the massive water project for its Southview Park housing scheme, but surrounding suburbs will now benefit.

In a statement Masimba Holdings said there will be a temporary road closure of Harare-Beitbridge Highway for eight days to enable road crossing for construction of 450 mm pipeline from Granville cemetery water reservoir site.

The statement advised motorists to exercise extreme caution when approaching 15 km peg on the highway. In its latest update to Southview Park residents that was seen by The Herald, Fidelity Life said the project was almost finished.

“The main pipeline is also 100 percent complete. The contractor is now focusing on pressure testing the entire pipeline to eliminate any leakages,” said Fidelity Life. Everything is now 100 percent complete.”

“The pressure testing is at 80 percent. This is a city council requirement. Some of the biggest challenges on the project included the putting of concrete bases and columns in rivers and diverting the rivers in order to dry beds.

“What is left is the final road crossing along Harare-Masvingo Highway to connect to Southview residence connection point which takes approximately seven days.

“The estimated cost of completion of the project stands at US$9 million making it the biggest water project in Zimbabwe to a residence,” said the firm.

Fidelity Life said the project was supposed to have been completed five months ago, but the contractor requested for extension of time owing to the impact of Covid-19 on the project.

The revised completion date has been set as September 23, which would be followed by testing and commissioning, leading to handover to the City of Harare.

The project involved pipe excavations and pipe laying of 8,9km on the main line, construction of 10 megalitres and 1 megalitre water reservoirs, which are all 100 percent complete.

Other completed works include construction of a pump station, workshop, caretaker house and Pepsi gate valves.

Minor outstanding works include pressure testing on the completed line which is 80 percent complete, with 7km already tested against the target of 8,9km. On its own, the City of Harare is struggling to provide clean water to citizens, if at all, due to massive corruption and general incompetence by the MDC leadership and councillors.

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