GWERU City Council is looking to raise $200 million for rehabilitating its water and sewerage works over the next decade, an official said on Thursday.
Town Clerk Elizabeth Gwatipedza told The Source that in the short-term the city requires $10 million for network repairs, equipment for pump stations and treatment plants.
“The areas to be covered are the Gwenhoro treatment plant, the Whitewaters treatment plant, all pumping stations and citywide water reticulation repair works,” she said.
Gweru, Zimbabwe’s third largest metropolitan, has been facing shortages and some of its high density suburbs, notably Mkoba’s villages 14,15, 18 and low density areas such as Ridgemond do not receive water.
“$10 million is what we need to at least get water reaching all suburbs for now. We need a total investment of $200 million to meet demand for all residential developments and industrial growth for the next 10 years,” she said.
Gwatipedza said the current treatment plant has a capacity of 60 megalitres per day.
“But we are only able to pump 45 megalitres per day. So we are exploring public-private partnerships and loans. Levies on ratepayers still remain an option as well,” she said.