THE CONSTRUCTION of a water treatment plant for the purification of water from the Bubi-Lupane Dam, to supply Matabeleland North’s provincial capital Lupane, is set for completion before the end of the year, amid revelations that lack of funding has hindered progress at the plant initially meant to be commissioned in August.
Luyanduhlobo Makwati
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority Gwayi catchment manager Fortune Musoni, said the $3 million water purification plant — initially set to be commissioned last month — will be delayed due to lack of funding. In an interview with the Southern Eye, Musoni said the plant will be a panacea to Lupane’s water problems and the commissioning of the plant will be conducted soon since everything on the plant has been completed, with only a few requirements still outstanding.
“I am convinced that the treatment plant will be fully functional before the end of the year and the perennial water problems characterising the provincial capital will be over,” he said.
Musoni said the water available in the 40,3 million cubic metre dam had not been treated and was only benefiting construction companies.
“The water from the dam is currently used by Lupane State University for their construction purposes and we only connected a pipeline to them because water for building purposes does not require any treatment,” he said.
The dam is expected to provide more than 60 000 people with consistent water supply while boosting agricultural activities in the area.
The construction of the purification plant started in 2011 and the provincial capital has been relying on only four boreholes.
