Chipinge Town Council repairs floods-damaged roads

CHIPINGE Town Council has begun rehabilitating roads destroyed by floods after receiving $48 000 Emergency Road Fund from Zimbabwe National Roads Administration recently.

Town engineer, Mr Paul Mlauzi, confirmed the development and said work to repair the roads was already underway.

“The council has received some funds under the Road Emergency Fund from ZINARA. This money will be used to repair roads that were damaged by floods.

“We are targeting gravel roads. We are regarding and re-gravelling since the roads are infested with gullies caused by floods. We are also constructing culverts and repairing drainage systems,” he said.

Mr Mlauzi said the council would resurface more roads once more money is received from ZINARA.

“We are expecting the second phase of the road funds amounting to $281 000 anytime from ZINARA.

“The second phase of the money has since been confirmed and we have already started preparatory work. The council is already procuring material and other highly mechanised equipment.

“This money will be used to resurface other main roads which were not finished from last year’s funds. We are expecting to finish the Thiba Road which is left with a few kilometres.

“There are also Ferreira Street and 5th Avenue roads to be resurfaced once money is received,” said Mr Mlauzi.

Meanwhile, the town council has begun upgrading the water treatment plant to meet residents’ water demands.

The current treatment plant is producing five mega litres per day against the 7, 5 mega litres per day required by the town.

Mr Mlauzi said if the treatment plant was upgraded it would produce 10 mega litres per day.

He said the new development was being done for current and future demand.

Mr Mlauzi said the council would this year roll out the prepaid water system in all residential areas following the success of the pilot project last year.

The town council contracted a Harare-based company, Hukoshwa Resources to install 90 prepared smart water meters in the Central Business District and leafy suburbs as a pilot study.

The town council is set to recoup over $2 million it is owed by ratepayers.

Mr Mlauzi said residents should not panic as the new system would use the old billing rates.

“To date, we have installed 90 smart water meters in the town area and they are all functional.

“The council is engaging all stakeholders on the issue and if we reach common ground, we will roll out the prepaid meter system to all areas of Chipinge town.

“The smart water meters installed during the pilot project were acquired at $250 each and residents will pay the money over a period of time,” he said.

Mr Mlauzi said the move was aimed at generating revenue to meet the high cost involved in pumping water to all areas of the town.

“Residents should not panic as the new system is not a profit oriented project.” “We will not overcharge anyone. The old billing rates will be used and this project will be a win-win situation between us and the residents.

“Currently the council is incurring high cost to settle ZESA bills as well as acquire chemicals for water purification as residents are defaulting paying for the services they are offered,” said Mr Mlauzi.

In mitigating the high electricity bills incurred by council in generating water, Mr Mlauzi said the council was set to install solar powered boreholes.

He said the council had so far installed two solar powered boreholes as a pilot project.

“ZESA has installed pre-paired meters and the council is finding it difficult to settle its bills because residents are defaulting.

“To date, we have installed two solar powered boreholes. Our aim is to have an additional five high yielding solar powered boreholes,” he said.