News / National
Aus Aid waste water treatment plant rehab ends pollution of Darwendale dam
07 Jun 2017 at 07:32hrs | Views
Her Worship the Mayor of Norton Zimbabwe, Clr Precious Mufahore in African Attire and Australian Head Of Development Christina Landsberg in all-blacks and Norton Town Engineer, B. Maramba in blue mini-skirt yesterday at Takunda Primary School in Maridale Norton: Picture by Maxwell Teedzai
AUSTRALIAN AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (Aus Aid) brought an end to over two decades of non-functionality of Norton Zimbabwe's sewer plant and pollution of Darwendale Dam, which the industrial town has been polluting including the whole area of Manyame River much to the disadvantage of the community members and the environment downstream.
"Through the Self Project, Norton Town Council (NTC) and Welthungerhilfe (WHH) have rehabilitated the Waste Water Treatment Plant that was polluting our most treasured bodies and I'm made to understand that the Australian AID committed over US$350 000 to all the hardware works with the bulk of the money channelled towards the upgrading of phases one and two of this plant", said the Provincial Administrator for Mashonaland West Province, Cde Cecilia Chitiyo, in an acceptance speech read on her behalf by the Acting District Administrator for Chegutu District, Cde Walter Hwaira at the official commissioning and handing-over of the Self Project activities to the Zimbabwe by the Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellence, Suzzane Mc Court, who was represented by the Head of Development Cooperation, Christina Landsberg.
"Firstly, we would want to start by thanking the Government of Zimbabwe for permitting the Australian Government to avail aid to Norton and secondly the Australian Government and WHH, our donor partners, and the fund managers, for continuously monitoring this Self Project for us to embark in this noble community initiative which will see a lot of dignity being restored to our women and children and finally we would want to thank our guiding partners, Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Captains of Industry, National Social Security Agency, (NSSA), school health clubs, Pastors Fraternity and Non-Governmental Organisations, (NGOs) for working with my Council all the way from the start of this invaluable community initiative which has made my town Open Defecation Free (ODF)", said the Mayor of Norton, Her Worship, Councilor Precious Mufahore.
The Deputy Mayor of Norton, His Worship Clr Peter Nyamadzawo welcomed this landmark developmental initiative by Australia and said that the support by AUS AID through WHH had mitigated by providing the mobile de-sludging unit arguing that Norton was under attack by open defecation, especially in its public centres.
Meanwhile, two state of the art public toilets, which are gender sensitive and inclusive of people living with disabilities and nursing mothers. For the past three decades water in the town has been supplied by Harare, a situation which makes the resource erratically supplied. In the recent past cases of typhoid and dysentery have been reported in the town. Maridale is a new high density settlement in the town which has no sewer systems because of the current limitations in water supply and due to the non-functionality of the sewer reticulation system.
The town's Secretary, Mr Kizito has apparently residents to pay up their rates on a monthly basis and desist from vandalising Council facilities a sad development in Norton which is sucking huge sums of money from the financially depressed local authority.
"As Norton Town Council, we're committed to collecting refuse weekly on all residential and commercial premises, and we also accept any amount of money for rates and are prepared to negotiate with our valued clients' payment plans", said Mr Muhomba while delivering his key note address to launch the town's first Client Service Charter at the same event.
The Charter if implemented to the letter is poised to give Norton Council and its residents a new leaf of improved relations. Council-residents relationship has been bitter mainly due to lack of rapport from the local authority as it has no mechanisms yet to interact with residents in information dissemination and feedback.
"We urge our residents to report all faults, leakages, burst pipes and blockages as soon as they spot them", implored the Town Secretary.
In some local authorities a toll free line has been established to cater for emergences that may arise from time to time.
The Australian Head of Development, Christina further emphasised the need for sustainability arguing that good corporate governance, transparency and accountability were universal key principles to ensure the sustainability of the sewer treatment plant.
"We have been working with Zimbabwe since the cholera outbreak in 2008-2009 and we consider access to clean water, access to sanitation and hygiene will ultimately give dignity to people and will contribute immensely to the well being of women and children and a lot of my emphasis goes to institutional strengthening and we should spread word about good governance and we encourage Norton Town Council to manage with the scarce resources", said Christina.
She went on to add that developments in sanitation, water, and hygiene would work as a bait to lure donors and investors into Norton.
"Government should always be a part of this as it is and can I say it, I appreciate handing this (Complete Self Project by the Aus Aid) to you for your safe keeping and maintenance and I hope it contributes to the welfare of your time, thank you and I want to come back in ten years time and still see this place buzzing ", further added Christina.
However, the following are among the critical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) issues that need to be addressed by the Council in addressing Gender Equality in its deliverables. Most of these issues affect women and girls, as well as men and boys. However, in most cases women and girls suffer additional disadvantage on account of their gender. These critical challenges include unemployment, poverty, Gender Based Violence (GBV), discrimination, lack of development in rural areas, lack of access to resources and infrastructure, lack of skills, the impact of HIV and AIDS, lack of delivery of comprehensive, integrated services to women, experiences of women in management positions, impact of Climate Change and less us of renewable energy. It is therefore imperative that in dealing with the above, respective Council departments' deliverables will have to respond to the intricate challenges through their plans, programmes and projects.
According to NTC Engineer B Maramba, the entire project commenced in 2014 in Mashonaland West with 10 Local authorities participating. In March 2014 Norton Town Council participated in the structuring of a WASH strategic plan. Eventually a Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) strategic plan was done in consultation with other stakeholders. The strategic plan ran from 2014 to 2018 as with the overall Council strategic plan
Under the same project there was a call for proposals in April 2014. The proposals focused on integrated WASH services including water, sanitation and solid waste management including health and hygiene promotion activities. To ensure value for money for available resources the bidding was done through a transparent competitive process between the 10 local authorities. The proposals were for projects valued between US$100,000 to 500,000. Norton Town Council bidded for rehab of sewer reticulation in Maridale, construction of one public toilet in Maridale and rehabilitation of school toilet at Takunda primary school and won the won the bid as follows; Sewer retic US$382,630, Takunda Primary School toilet US$2,597 and Public Tiolets for US$9,772.
"However sewer reticulation was not possible because of water challenges in Maridale as well as treatment challenges at the treatment plant the main project therefore became rehabilitation of the treatment plant. The sewage treatment plant has therefore under rehabilitation from 2014. Some of the works done included repairs of bio-filters, primary settling tanks, switchboards, flow meters etc. NTC is now achieving secondary treatment at both phase 1 and 2. One public toilet was constructed in 2015 in Maridale and rehab of the toilet at Takunda primary is also complete. One public toilet at Katanga shopping centre is almost complete", said Maramba.
Councillors from different political parties are working together as a team in Norton a development which has prompted the promotion of tolerance, peace inclusivity and participation of residents in governance and service delivery of the town.
Norton Town Council's engineering department is headed by Engineer B. Maramba, the Housing Director is Mr Mtyambizi while the Medical Director is Dr. Tungamirai Mhaka.
"Through the Self Project, Norton Town Council (NTC) and Welthungerhilfe (WHH) have rehabilitated the Waste Water Treatment Plant that was polluting our most treasured bodies and I'm made to understand that the Australian AID committed over US$350 000 to all the hardware works with the bulk of the money channelled towards the upgrading of phases one and two of this plant", said the Provincial Administrator for Mashonaland West Province, Cde Cecilia Chitiyo, in an acceptance speech read on her behalf by the Acting District Administrator for Chegutu District, Cde Walter Hwaira at the official commissioning and handing-over of the Self Project activities to the Zimbabwe by the Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Her Excellence, Suzzane Mc Court, who was represented by the Head of Development Cooperation, Christina Landsberg.
"Firstly, we would want to start by thanking the Government of Zimbabwe for permitting the Australian Government to avail aid to Norton and secondly the Australian Government and WHH, our donor partners, and the fund managers, for continuously monitoring this Self Project for us to embark in this noble community initiative which will see a lot of dignity being restored to our women and children and finally we would want to thank our guiding partners, Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Captains of Industry, National Social Security Agency, (NSSA), school health clubs, Pastors Fraternity and Non-Governmental Organisations, (NGOs) for working with my Council all the way from the start of this invaluable community initiative which has made my town Open Defecation Free (ODF)", said the Mayor of Norton, Her Worship, Councilor Precious Mufahore.
The Deputy Mayor of Norton, His Worship Clr Peter Nyamadzawo welcomed this landmark developmental initiative by Australia and said that the support by AUS AID through WHH had mitigated by providing the mobile de-sludging unit arguing that Norton was under attack by open defecation, especially in its public centres.
Meanwhile, two state of the art public toilets, which are gender sensitive and inclusive of people living with disabilities and nursing mothers. For the past three decades water in the town has been supplied by Harare, a situation which makes the resource erratically supplied. In the recent past cases of typhoid and dysentery have been reported in the town. Maridale is a new high density settlement in the town which has no sewer systems because of the current limitations in water supply and due to the non-functionality of the sewer reticulation system.
The town's Secretary, Mr Kizito has apparently residents to pay up their rates on a monthly basis and desist from vandalising Council facilities a sad development in Norton which is sucking huge sums of money from the financially depressed local authority.
"As Norton Town Council, we're committed to collecting refuse weekly on all residential and commercial premises, and we also accept any amount of money for rates and are prepared to negotiate with our valued clients' payment plans", said Mr Muhomba while delivering his key note address to launch the town's first Client Service Charter at the same event.
The Charter if implemented to the letter is poised to give Norton Council and its residents a new leaf of improved relations. Council-residents relationship has been bitter mainly due to lack of rapport from the local authority as it has no mechanisms yet to interact with residents in information dissemination and feedback.
"We urge our residents to report all faults, leakages, burst pipes and blockages as soon as they spot them", implored the Town Secretary.
In some local authorities a toll free line has been established to cater for emergences that may arise from time to time.
"We have been working with Zimbabwe since the cholera outbreak in 2008-2009 and we consider access to clean water, access to sanitation and hygiene will ultimately give dignity to people and will contribute immensely to the well being of women and children and a lot of my emphasis goes to institutional strengthening and we should spread word about good governance and we encourage Norton Town Council to manage with the scarce resources", said Christina.
She went on to add that developments in sanitation, water, and hygiene would work as a bait to lure donors and investors into Norton.
"Government should always be a part of this as it is and can I say it, I appreciate handing this (Complete Self Project by the Aus Aid) to you for your safe keeping and maintenance and I hope it contributes to the welfare of your time, thank you and I want to come back in ten years time and still see this place buzzing ", further added Christina.
However, the following are among the critical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) issues that need to be addressed by the Council in addressing Gender Equality in its deliverables. Most of these issues affect women and girls, as well as men and boys. However, in most cases women and girls suffer additional disadvantage on account of their gender. These critical challenges include unemployment, poverty, Gender Based Violence (GBV), discrimination, lack of development in rural areas, lack of access to resources and infrastructure, lack of skills, the impact of HIV and AIDS, lack of delivery of comprehensive, integrated services to women, experiences of women in management positions, impact of Climate Change and less us of renewable energy. It is therefore imperative that in dealing with the above, respective Council departments' deliverables will have to respond to the intricate challenges through their plans, programmes and projects.
According to NTC Engineer B Maramba, the entire project commenced in 2014 in Mashonaland West with 10 Local authorities participating. In March 2014 Norton Town Council participated in the structuring of a WASH strategic plan. Eventually a Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) strategic plan was done in consultation with other stakeholders. The strategic plan ran from 2014 to 2018 as with the overall Council strategic plan
Under the same project there was a call for proposals in April 2014. The proposals focused on integrated WASH services including water, sanitation and solid waste management including health and hygiene promotion activities. To ensure value for money for available resources the bidding was done through a transparent competitive process between the 10 local authorities. The proposals were for projects valued between US$100,000 to 500,000. Norton Town Council bidded for rehab of sewer reticulation in Maridale, construction of one public toilet in Maridale and rehabilitation of school toilet at Takunda primary school and won the won the bid as follows; Sewer retic US$382,630, Takunda Primary School toilet US$2,597 and Public Tiolets for US$9,772.
"However sewer reticulation was not possible because of water challenges in Maridale as well as treatment challenges at the treatment plant the main project therefore became rehabilitation of the treatment plant. The sewage treatment plant has therefore under rehabilitation from 2014. Some of the works done included repairs of bio-filters, primary settling tanks, switchboards, flow meters etc. NTC is now achieving secondary treatment at both phase 1 and 2. One public toilet was constructed in 2015 in Maridale and rehab of the toilet at Takunda primary is also complete. One public toilet at Katanga shopping centre is almost complete", said Maramba.
Councillors from different political parties are working together as a team in Norton a development which has prompted the promotion of tolerance, peace inclusivity and participation of residents in governance and service delivery of the town.
Norton Town Council's engineering department is headed by Engineer B. Maramba, the Housing Director is Mr Mtyambizi while the Medical Director is Dr. Tungamirai Mhaka.
Source - Maxwell Teedzai
