News / Local
BCC agrees to provide Mbundane with water
09 Aug 2016 at 07:35hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo City Council has agreed to a $2,1 million project to connect water and sewer services to suburbs on the outskirts of the city that fall under Umguza Rural District Council.
Suburbs that include Mbundane, Emthunzini and Emganwini West have been operating without the critical amenities, exposing residents to health risks.
The city council is, however, not keen to consult residents over the issue as it suspects they will object to the idea, reads the latest council report.
The local authority, according to the report, resolved to connect water and sewer services to 66 000 housing units and will recoup its investment through water billing. The council said it will implement pre-paid water meters which were rejected in Bulawayo for the project.
"The director of engineering services (Engineer Simela Dube) advised that there was a need to connect water and sewer supply to 66 000 housing stands in the whole of Rangemore, an area which was administered by Umguza Rural District Council. The areas included Mbundane, Emthunzini, and Emganwini West etc," reads the report.
"Through a council resolution Umguza Rural District Council had agreed to appoint Bulawayo City Council to provide water and take over the water billing while Umguza Rural District Council would provide main roads and collect rates."
The council said the infrastructure for the project will cost about $2.1 million. "In response to questions the director of engineering services explained that the project amount to be raised for this investment was $1,2 million for water and $1,9 million for sewage to meet the immediate requirements in 2017 and 2018," read the minutes.
The Acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said the deal will be good for the city saying activities in the suburbs had a bearing on Bulawayo.
"The Acting Town Clerk advised that although the areas Rangemore, Mbundane, Emthunzini were administered by Umguza Rural District Council there was need to provide such services to the areas as they looked to Bulawayo as its main service centre. Absence of proper water and sewage system posed a health hazard not only in these areas but to Bulawayo residents as well," the report reads.
Suburbs that include Mbundane, Emthunzini and Emganwini West have been operating without the critical amenities, exposing residents to health risks.
The city council is, however, not keen to consult residents over the issue as it suspects they will object to the idea, reads the latest council report.
The local authority, according to the report, resolved to connect water and sewer services to 66 000 housing units and will recoup its investment through water billing. The council said it will implement pre-paid water meters which were rejected in Bulawayo for the project.
"Through a council resolution Umguza Rural District Council had agreed to appoint Bulawayo City Council to provide water and take over the water billing while Umguza Rural District Council would provide main roads and collect rates."
The council said the infrastructure for the project will cost about $2.1 million. "In response to questions the director of engineering services explained that the project amount to be raised for this investment was $1,2 million for water and $1,9 million for sewage to meet the immediate requirements in 2017 and 2018," read the minutes.
The Acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said the deal will be good for the city saying activities in the suburbs had a bearing on Bulawayo.
"The Acting Town Clerk advised that although the areas Rangemore, Mbundane, Emthunzini were administered by Umguza Rural District Council there was need to provide such services to the areas as they looked to Bulawayo as its main service centre. Absence of proper water and sewage system posed a health hazard not only in these areas but to Bulawayo residents as well," the report reads.
Source - Chronicle
