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Byo water project flops
Loughty Dube, The Zimbabwe Independent
September 08, 2006

http://www.theindependent.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=6525&siteid=1

THE Bulawayo City Council’s bid to raise $4,8 billion and US$3,4 million to finance various water projects has flopped as last week’s donors conference managed to raise only $96 000.

The money raised is not enough to sink a single borehole. The city fathers however spent $634 000 hosting the donors conference.

The council has resolved to hold more donor conferences in Harare and beyond the country’s borders to raise the funds for the water projects.

The city needs the cash to sink and rehabilitate boreholes at the Nyamandlovu aquifer, link up two supply dams, set up a booster station and to commence work on the long awaited Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project.

As if to spite the council, a day after the failed water conference, the government through the Reserve Bank, released $890 million towards the Zambezi water project.

The Bulawayo executive mayor, Japhet Ndabeni Ncube, this week told the Zimbabwe Independent that the council will hold more donor conferences in a bid to raise more funds.

"We will hold more donor conferences in Harare and other centres. Currently we are reconciling what the donors gave us and more are still coming forward with pledges," Ncube said.

Bulawayo faces serious water shortages and the city has announced that if the situation continues to deteriorate, it would recycle water for domestic use.

The European Union (EU) together with the South African and Kuwait embassies have promised unspecified aid towards the project.

Among some of the projects the city intends to embark on is the linking up of Mtshabezi Dam to other supply dams and the rehabilitation of boreholes at Epping Forest.

The council in a report on deliberations of the Future Water Supplies and Water Action Committee said the supply dams were only 41,56 % full, with a total of 150 720 million cubic metres of water.

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