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Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Multi Donor Trust Fund (Zimfund) is targeting to complete its $36 million Phase Two project for reinforcement of water distribution and waste water collection systems in Harare and four other cities by the end of the year.

Zimfund manager Emmanuel Nzabanita said power projects meant to complement the water projects would be completed in 2019.

Mr Nzabanita was speaking at the Harare Water Strategic Plan and Non-Revenue Water Project Outcome Workshop at Town House on Tuesday.

“Under the Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project Two (UWSSRP) approximately 1,9 million people in Harare, Chitungwiza, Ruwa and Redcliff will benefit from clean water and improved health and hygiene standards through interventions, which will cover the procurement and installation of pipes, pumps and fittings,” he said.

“Related to water projects there are power projects meant to complement the water projects.

“Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (EPIRP), Phase II will replace bulk supply substation transformers in Kwekwe and Masvingo.”

Mr Nzabanita said when concluded by 2019, the project will benefit more than five million people in Kwekwe, Masvingo and Hwange with improved availability and reliability of electricity, reduced load shedding and stable water supplies.

He said since its inception, Zimfund has evolved from being viewed as a purely humanitarian operation to being a developmental platform and a vehicle for investment in basic infrastructure.

“A lot still needs to be done to help authorities reduce non-revenue water to acceptable levels, ensure that water is distributed to homes and that authorities generate accurate bills to residents,” he said.

“Research has it that in developing countries, roughly 45 million cubic meters of water are lost daily with an economic value of over $3 billion per year.

“If the water losses in developing countries are halved, the saved water would be enough to supply around 90 million people.”

Zimfund is a collaboration of seven donor countries that partnered with Government and requested the African Development Bank to administer donor funds.

It was born as an emergency response to the 2008-9 cholera outbreak, which claimed more than 4 000 lives.

The donors are Australia, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Under phase one, Zimfund carried out the Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project phase one in Mutare, Masvingo, Kwekwe, Chegutu, Harare, and Chitungwiza on the water side.

The second phase of the Zimfund furthers the benefits and impacts of the first phase. It comprises aspects that were not included in the first phase of the project.