THE City of Gweru is failing to supply adequate water for residents after daily demand shot up to about 120 megalitres a day against a pumping capacity of 37 megalitres.
This was revealed by the mayor Councillor Hamutendi Kombayi in his state of the city 2022 statement.
Cllr Kombayi said throughout the year 2022, council has been producing an average of 37 megalitres against the city’s daily demand of 120 megalitres.
“My council has a daily water demand of about 120 megalitres, against total treatment plant capacity (Gwenhoro and White Waters) of about 68 megalitres. As a result of rapid growth in urbanisation, the council is failing to meet the daily water demand for the city due to the limited treatment capacity and incessant equipment breakdown,” he said.
The development, he said, has caused severe water challenges in the city.
“The three high lift pumps which are working at Gwenhoro are producing about 37 megalitres against a treatment capacity of 68 megalitres. The situation has been worsened by persistent power cuts at Gwenhoro Water Works, White Waters, Clonsilla and Ridgemont pump stations,” said Cllr Kombayi.
As a result of low pumping capacity, he said, water is failing to reach some parts of the city, especially high-lying areas like CBZ, KMP, Fletcher, Senga Infill, Makina Square and Adelaide Park.
He said other areas with severe water challenges include parts of Mkoba 1, 2, 13, 18, 19 and 20.
“Despite following the water rationing schedule, water has not been reaching some parts of the above-mentioned areas,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said efforts to revive the existing treatment plants have been constrained due to financial challenges, rampant power outages and pumps that are constantly breaking down.
“In addition, all our wastewater treatment plants, Outfall works and Cambridgeshire require rehabilitation as they have not been working for several years now,” said Cllr Kombayi.
In one of the success stories for 2022, he said the local authority commissioned brand new electric motors at White Waters water treatment plant, which resulted in resumption of pumping, which had stopped for about six weeks.
Cllr Kombayi said the council completed rehabilitation of the Mkoba 5 sewer line.
“A total distance of about 700m of Mkoba 5 sewer line was upgraded from 200mm to 315mm and was reconstructed to completion. The sewer line had not been functioning for several years as a result of serious blockage which was caused by grit deposited inside the pipes resulting in persistent sewer overflows in the areas close to the sewer line,” he said.
He said the local authority improved the water quality through monitoring and sampling exercises resulting in a reduction of cholera, typhoid and dysentery cases that had surged.
“The council managed to re-route and upgrade the sewer outfall line which comes from Nehosho from 200mm diameter to 250mm diameter for a total distance of 100m this year. This sewer line had rampant blockages which constantly needed attention,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said the rehabilitation project of Mudavanhu sewer line in Mkoba 9, 10 and 11 (which is about 800m long) has been delayed by a lack of equipment.
“The sewer line has not been functioning since 2010 which has resulted in rampant sewer overflows and blockages in this area posing serious risks to the health of residents. The tender for an excavator is currently being evaluated,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said there have been unexpected delays in the completion of rehabilitation works of sand filters at White Waters.
“This has greatly affected our efforts to increase water production at the plant and water supply to the city. Only about 20 percent of the total work has been carried out to date,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said the council was unable to commission the new high lift pumps at Gwenhoro because the new transformer failed the commissioning tests.
“All the electrical connections and major outstanding works were done. The transformer has since been sent for investigations into its failure,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said the council had launched an investigation to diagnose how four submersible pumps that were installed in 2020 had failed.
“These pumps ran for less than two years yet under normal circumstances they should run for about 15-50 years. So we are trying to look into how they have failed,” said Cllr Kombayi.
The city, he said, has experienced an increase in the theft of water meters and cast iron manhole lids as well as vandalism of council infrastructure and facilities.
“We thus encourage residents to safeguard their water meters and to report vandals,” said Cllr Kombayi.
He said the city was facing persistent sewer blockages as a result of old sewer infrastructure, intermittent water supply, vandalism of manholes, the entrance of foreign objects, and grit into sewer lines.
Cllr Kombayi said that the council is losing a lot of water in private developments some of which have not yet been handed over to the council.
“This is because in these developments most households have no water meters. In most cases burst pipes that occur are only repaired after my council threatens to disconnect water supplies to these developments. Developers are being engaged,” he said.
To solve some of the challenges the council is facing, Cllr Kombayi said there is a need for new vehicles; tractors and new equipment.
“We should also ensure that we procure a Gwenhoro high lift pump and an Amapongokwe low lift pump. We should also procure six new submersible pumps for the sewage pump stations. There is a serious need for us to rehabilitate both water treatment plants to cater for increase in urban population and expansion,” he said.
Cllr Kombayi said there is also a need to rehabilitate and expand both waste water treatment plants that is Cambridgeshire and Outfalls works.
“For the year 2023 it is our hope that we will ensure that people receive the precious liquid on the scheduled days without any hustles. With the new Director of Engineering services on board it is my hope that he will use his knowledge to get solutions for all the challenges listed,” he said. – The Chronicle
