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Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
ZVISHAVANE Town Council is seeking partners to rehabilitate the Mabula Sewer Ponds as well as resuscitate the Runde Water Plant at a cost of $400 000 as the local authority gears up for a boom in population.

There has been steady growth in population in Zvishavane, which has been brought about by mining activities as well as the relocation of some faculties of Midlands State University. Over 8 000 housing units in Mabula are under construction, which is one of the many developments in the mining town. Other housing developments currently underway in Zvishavane include Eastlea Extension, Emthonjeni and Light Industrial.

Zvishavane Town Council secretary, Mr Tinoda Mukutu, said council is looking at various initiatives of funding the projects.

“We have a sewer treatment plant, which is not working and we want to resuscitate that but we will need assistance from central government or other partners. We want to make sure that it’s up and running because about 40 percent of our waste water is going to the environment and it is not good for the town,” he said.

Mabula treatment plant has not been working since 2005 and the local authority is set to appear before the Environmental Management Agency board after failing to meet a recent order to stop discharging raw effluent into the environment.

Mr Mukutu said council is also failing to procure water treatment chemicals and carry out major maintenance works to ensure consistent water supply due to funding constraints.

“We also have challenges in the procurement process of water treatment chemicals, pump repairs and maintenance and as we speak we have one of our raw water pump, which has broken down but we cannot repair it because we do not have money,” he said.

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