News / Regional
Tsholotsho in bid to upgrade sewer system
12 Oct 2014 at 09:21hrs | Views
TSHOLOTSHO Rural District Council has applied for more than $800 000 from the Government under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) to upgrade its sewer system following years of using septic tanks.
The chief executive officer for the council, Mr Themba Moyo, said, "We submitted bids to the Government under PSIP and we essentially need about $814 000 to carry out the upgrading of the sewer system as it is the only solution to the problem of the blocked system," he said.
He said he was optimistic about Government's response to their request.
The sewer system in Tsholotsho has been down for the past decade with communities around Tsholotsho Centre and Government departments being severely affected.
Recently, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza, launched a scathing attack on the council and Tsholotsho District Hospital over the use of Blair toilets by the hospital.
He said the hospital was sitting on a time bomb as they had no functioning toilet facilities which were also detrimental to the health of the patients and people around.
Mr Moyo told Sunday News that since the visit of Dr Chimedza they have started meeting every week to find possible solutions to some of the hospital's immediate challenges.
He said Government departments, business community and non-governmental organisations are part of the stakeholders that deliberated with the council to rehabilitate buildings at the hospital.
The council discovered that there were many things that were blocking the sewage pipes which was causing challenges.
"There are blankets, clothes, stones, cans and sand among other things that are blocking the pipes so there is a lot of work that needs to be done to clear all the mess but we are optimistic that with funding we can lay our plans right and get the system functioning adequately," said Mr Moyo.
Tsholotsho engineer, Mr Lawrence Nhandara, said the job to upgrade the sewer system will take about two years to complete if funds are availed.
The report revealed that it was of paramount importance to modify and upgrade the current system at Tsholotsho Centre to cope with the increasing demand of safe and sustainable disposal methods of sewage waste.
It is expected that the sedimentation tanks, filter bed and pump house will be constructed at a later phase. Currently bush clearance has been done on the proposed pipeline.
When the project is complete an estimated 4 000 housing units and institutions will benefit while locals will also benefit through being employed to work on the project.
The chief executive officer for the council, Mr Themba Moyo, said, "We submitted bids to the Government under PSIP and we essentially need about $814 000 to carry out the upgrading of the sewer system as it is the only solution to the problem of the blocked system," he said.
He said he was optimistic about Government's response to their request.
The sewer system in Tsholotsho has been down for the past decade with communities around Tsholotsho Centre and Government departments being severely affected.
Recently, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Paul Chimedza, launched a scathing attack on the council and Tsholotsho District Hospital over the use of Blair toilets by the hospital.
He said the hospital was sitting on a time bomb as they had no functioning toilet facilities which were also detrimental to the health of the patients and people around.
Mr Moyo told Sunday News that since the visit of Dr Chimedza they have started meeting every week to find possible solutions to some of the hospital's immediate challenges.
The council discovered that there were many things that were blocking the sewage pipes which was causing challenges.
"There are blankets, clothes, stones, cans and sand among other things that are blocking the pipes so there is a lot of work that needs to be done to clear all the mess but we are optimistic that with funding we can lay our plans right and get the system functioning adequately," said Mr Moyo.
Tsholotsho engineer, Mr Lawrence Nhandara, said the job to upgrade the sewer system will take about two years to complete if funds are availed.
The report revealed that it was of paramount importance to modify and upgrade the current system at Tsholotsho Centre to cope with the increasing demand of safe and sustainable disposal methods of sewage waste.
It is expected that the sedimentation tanks, filter bed and pump house will be constructed at a later phase. Currently bush clearance has been done on the proposed pipeline.
When the project is complete an estimated 4 000 housing units and institutions will benefit while locals will also benefit through being employed to work on the project.
Source - Sunday News
