Source: Beitbridge steps up drive to transform into medium city | The Herald
Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Municipality has connected water mains and sewers to 500 properties in the new suburbs as it intensifies its drive to transform the town into a medium city.Town Clerk Mr Loud Ramakgapola said the council was now mobilising resources to connect all water and sewer reticulation to outstanding properties, about another 1 500. The programme was being rolled out in phases.
“About 500 houses have now been connected to water in the new stands and currently we are working on connections in other areas. In the new stands, we have close to 2 000 stands, and we are seized with finishing the service for water reticulation,” he said.
Mr Ramakgapola said the council was hoping that the water supply will improve upon the completion of a 15 megaliters reservoir that is under construction by Zimborders.
According to the 2021 municipality’s budget statement, a total of $346 million will be committed to water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona said recently that as part of the US$300 million border modernisation project, resources will be channelled towards upgrading water and sewer facilities in the town.
He said workers were already on site excavating and trenching for sewer and water reticulation, and building access roads and a 15 megalitres reservoir tank.
“We have also started working on the provision of 264 housing units for border agencies which is something that is of paramount importance. You will note that previously, we didn’t have accommodation for our people, but as we speak we witnessed that the contractor is on course in terms of providing the civil works,” said the Minister.
Minister Mhona said within the next six weeks Zimborders will be starting the construction of the houses. The building of office space, other facilities and staff housing for border staff is almost complete with the maintenance terminal now completed as the administrative hub for Zimborders.
The town requires at least 18 megaliters of water daily and storage facilities to carry a combined 54 megalitres, enough for three days.
Currently, the storage facilities can only carry 10,4 megalitres and has seen the local authority failing to evenly distribute water to newly built-up areas.
It is also projected that in the next 10 years, the council should have storage facilities to carry about 100 megalitres enough to cover three days.
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