IDBZ on Vic Falls water and sanitation

Victoria Falls requires at least $15,7 million for expansion and rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure to support more than 5 000 properties in the resort town.

According to a budget proposal by Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ), which advises Government on major infrastructure projects, Victoria Falls, being Zimbabwe’s tourism prime destination requires massive investment to upgrade its water and sanitation facilities

Victoria Falls had a population of 33 600 and received an average of 50 000 tourist per annum according to the 2012 national census. Tourists arrivals have since increased significantly following the upgrading of the Victoria Falls airport which has resulted in massive increase in flights to the resort town.

“Victoria Falls like many urban centres in Zimbabwe has been affected by many years of under investment in maintenance of its sewerage and water infrastructure.

“Overloading of the existing system is evident from marked increase in sewer blockages and deterioration of quality of treated sewage effluent which is now polluting local water courses,” said IDBZ.

The budget also proposes increased spending for the sewer connection and infrastructure while the installation prepaid water meters is prioritised.

“The main project outcomes are improved household access to municipal water supply, reduced environmental pollution from raw sewage, and improved utility water revenue collection efficiency,” part of the proposal reads.

At the moment feasibility studies have been done.

Last month, Victoria Falls Municipality introduced a tight water rationing regime in the tourist resort town, following shortages of water treatment chemicals.

According to the town fathers, their regular supplier of water treatment chemicals had cut supplies, citing foreign currency shortages.

Ironically, residents have been running for weeks without tap water despite living on shores of the Zambezi River.

Some places have also gone for years without adequate running water and a sewer reticulation system.

Source: IDBZ on Vic Falls water and sanitation (20/03/18)

Vic Falls budgets $12m for water, sewer revamp

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

VICTORIA Falls Municipality has set aside close to $12 million to upgrade its water and sewer systems following complaints by residents about continued erratic services.

The project will put an end to a septic tank system which residents have condemned.
Briefing residents at a budget consultation meeting, outgoing Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) project will start in March next year.

“The WASH programme will start soon and will run concurrently with BB7 and Buffer Zone housing projects. No planning was done for the water and sewer system in BD39 (Aerodrome) and we now want to normalise things,” said Mr Dube.

Council partnered CBZ in a $12 million deal for construction of BB7 and Buffer Zone houses.
Town Treasurer Mr Thembinkosi Khumalo said the WASH project would be rolled out in two phases spread over two years.

“The council has spent $85 384 on layout plans for the project. The feasibility study has told us that the first phase of the project will cost $6,6 million and is expected to commence in March 2017 and will take 18 months,” said Mr Khumalo.

He said the second phase would cost $5,2 million.

The Town Treasurer appealed to ratepayers to honour their obligations so that council can deliver.
Council is owed $15 536 695 by residents and businesses while it owes service providers over $8 million.

Contributing at the ongoing budget meetings, residents expressed fears that the water and sewer situation would worsen after completion of the new housing projects as the population would grow.

“The council must look into the issue of septic tanks which are now producing a strong unbearable stench at our houses,” said Mr Blessing Munyenyiwa, a resident.— @ncubeleon

Sources: Vic Falls budgets $12m for water, sewer revamp (23/09/16)

Vic Falls municipality dumps raw sewage into Zambezi

The Victoria Falls municipality has been dumping raw sewage into the Zambezi River for over a year, after allegedly failing to deal with waste emanating from two of the country’s world renowned hotels — Victoria Falls and Kingdom.

The hotels are located on low-lying land and are not connected to the town’s sewer system because of gradient, meaning a powerful pump is needed to channel sewerage from the hotels up the gradient.

Instead, pipes have been laid to carry and pour sewage into the mighty river, between Rapid Four and Six. The area is popular with tourists for white water rafting.

Although senior council officials who included the mayor, town clerk, director of engineering services and public relations manager were reluctant to comment, sources in the resort town said the authorities had cited lack of financial resources for the failure to deal with the sewage problem.

A council official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed yesterday that raw sewage has been channelled into the river for more than a year now.

He said the pipes which linked the hotels to the municipality’s sewerage ponds had broken down resulting in effluent flowing into the river.

Africa Sun chief executive officer Shingi Munyeza professed ignorance over the issue and referred questions to the Victoria Falls Municipality, while the hotels’ management refused to comment.

“The best persons to comment would be the council. They are the ones who handle sewage,” Munyeza said.

Victoria Falls mayor Nkosilathi Jihane referred questions to the town’s engineer Sheren Sibanda.

However, Sibanda refused to comment, politely saying her job “is not to speak to the Press”.

She further referred questions to the municipality’s public relations manager, Nqabutho Moyo, who requested questions in writing.

After receiving the questions, he passed the matter to the town clerk, Godfrey Maphosa.

Maphosa was said to be in meetings most of yesterday before he was later said to have left the office.

NewsDay, however, has pictures taken two weeks ago of the raw effluent spilling into the river.

Source: Vic Falls municipality dumps raw sewage into Zambezi (12/11/2010)