The City Council of Harare unveiled an annual budget worth US$$272.7m, and a big amount of the same will go towards roads and water infrastructure development. This will be in a bid to increase the amount of treated water output and at the same time facilitate delivery of key infrastructural facilities at minimal rates.
Among planned infrastructure development includes reconstruction and rehabilitation of 53km roads across Harare municipality. The government has already set aside US$31million to buy roads maintenance equipment and will deploy functional teams for the same.
Asphalt overlay will be carried out on 8km of roads in the CBD and trunk routes, while 120km of road will be re-graveled and compacted. There will be construction of six footbridges while broken road signs will be replaced. The civil works planned also involve unblocking of 16km of storm water pipes.
In regard to water infrastructure, the City Council of Harare will invest in installation of new water and sewer pumps. The aging water and sewer pipe networks will also need to be revamped in order to prevent leakage of treated water on transit.
Part of the planned water infrastructure construction works involves rehabilitation of Morton Jaffray, Prince Edward Water Treatment Works, and the Firle and Crowborough treatment plant. All these projects are set to be completed next year, and each will involve use of modern technology to make it possible for regular and easy maintenance – something which will lead to the consistent supply of clean water to over 2 million residents in the municipality.
According to the Chairperson of the Council Finance Committee Councilor Trynos Moyo, the new infrastructure developments will help increase production of water from 450 to 650 litres per day and increase wastewater management up to 219 from 72 mega litres a day. This will also decrease the cost of water treatment chemicals.
