Construction of Gwayi-Shangani Cowdray Park water treatment plant set to begin

Construction of the Gwayi-Shangani water treatment plant at the landing station in Cowdray Park is set to begin soon, according to Finance and Economic Development Minister, Prof Mthuli Ncube.

The plant is expected to process 80 megalitres (ML) of water per day, which will be used to supply residents of Cowdray Park and other parts of Bulawayo.

The water will come from the Gwayi-Shangani dam, which is expected to start impounding water in the 2023/24 summer season.

Prof Ncube said a contractor has been chosen for the project and is ready to begin work. He said the groundbreaking ceremony will be held soon.

The minister also said government is exploring a public-private partnership to help solve Cowdray Park's sewer reticulation problems. He said more than 9 300 out of 15 600 Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle households in Cowdray Park are using Blair toilets.

Prof Ncube also expressed concern about the state of Cowdray Park terminus, where vendors are still conducting business in the open. He said government is planning to build stalls to protect people from the weather.

The minister said these are just some of the projects that government is implementing in Cowdray Park to improve the lives of residents.

In addition to the water treatment plant, government is also:

    Drilling 33 boreholes in the constituency
    Exploring a public-private partnership to solve the sewer reticulation problems
    Building stalls at Cowdray Park terminus

Prof Ncube said these projects are part of government's efforts to improve the lives of residents of Cowdray Park and other parts of Bulawayo.