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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
REDCLIFF Municipality has kick-started its $4 million rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation systems programme, starting with the rehabilitation of two sewer ponds in the town.

The programme is funded by the Zimbabwe Multi Donor Trust Fund under Phase Two of the Water and Sanitation Programme.

Redcliff has since received earth moving equipment, water meters, trucks, water and sewer pipes to be used in overhauling the town’s sewer and water system.The local authority has employed an additional 100 workers for the project and the rehabilitation of sewer ponds in Torwood started two weeks ago.

Speaking at the sewer ponds in Torwood, Redcliff town engineer Thembani Kundhlande said they started the programme by rehabilitating the sewer ponds.He said the ponds were contaminating underground water.

“These are two ponds, part of the three treatment ponds we have in Redcliff and as part of the $4 million sewer and water rehabilitation project, we have started discharging the ponds. We are going to reconstruct them and line them so that we release treated water at the end of the day,” he said.

Redcliff mayor Fred Kapuya said the project involves replacing pipes at critical sections in the water distribution system. These include 2,3km of corroded steel pipes on a pipeline that supplies Torwood that can no longer deliver water.

He said the Rutendo Reservoir structure meant to store potable water will be rehabilitated and a security fence erected around the site to prevent unauthorised entry.

“The ponds were about 40 years old and we were always in the red with EMA fining us for contaminating water bodies. So this project has started and we are looking forward to completing it for the benefit of the local authority,” said councillor Kapuya.

Redcliff has three residential areas Redcliff, Rutendo and Torwood with an estimated population of about 50 000 people.

Torwood, which has shared ablution facilities, was once hit by a massive tapeworm outbreak that affected over 3 000 people due to people relying on unsafe water sources. — @pchitumba1