By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – Masvingo City Council needs a total of USD$1.1million for the completion of the Mucheke trunk sewer BUSTOP TV has learnt.
The completion of the Mucheke trunk sewer is part of the council’s 2020 budget and was to be completed through devolution funds that were allocated for the council.
In an interview with the City Acting Town Clerk, Edward Mukaratirwa, he said the refurbishment of the trunk sewer is in the pipeline.
“Work is ongoing depending on availability of funding. The council has procured all the pipe material required to finish the project with the available resources in 2020 and work on the ground should start upon receipt of more resources,” he said.
Convergence of the sewer will be enabled by the completion of the trunk sewer.
“The completion of the Mucheke trunk sewer will enhance the City’s capacity to convey sewer from the City’s capacity to convey sewer from the City’s households around Runyararo area. The pipeline has also been seized to cater for the peri urban areas in Victoria ranch. The existing infrastructure is now struggling to cope with flows from the City and this is manifesting in frequent blockages that spill raw sewer into Mucheke River,” said Mukaratirwa.
Funding constraints are the ones that are delaying the completion of the project. The funds for the completion of the project will be acquired from the devolution funds that were set aside by the council to complete the project. The same source has been used to procure the outstanding paperwork.
He also added that the slow completion of the project has caused many disadvantages in the City.
“The incompletion project has deprived the City of the use of the expanded infrastructure. As a result, blockages continue on the old pipes especially in the morning peak periods leading to pollution of Mucheke River. This is exacerbated by the acts of vandalism on the network where some residents introduce projects to block sewer flow leading to severe environmental damage,” said the Acting Town Clerk.
