MUTARE– The Dangamvura water project missed a December 2020 deadline due to poor workmanship by engineers on the project, city fathers have revealed.
Speaking to local media, Mayor councilor Blessing Tandi said that it was due to a faulty first batch of pipes that were not requisite for the area.
He said council is now working to rectify the problem to lay the correct pipes along the Golden Peacock stretch.
“The first batch of pipes that came were wrong for the area were they were suppose to cover. With the arrival of the correct pipes we have started laying the pipes and if you go at Golden Peacock you can see it for yourself that it is work in progress,” he said.
Tandi added that engineers deployed on the first batch failed to live up to expectations and a team of engineers who were seconded to council by the African Development Bank exposed the engineering faults.
“The pipes we had laid in the first place were laid wrongly. This was discovered by the engineers who were seconded to us by the bank that gave us a loan to complete the project.”
“After carrying out a pressure tests we then discovered that the pipe were not laid properly. The engineers recommended us to dig further down so that our pipes are deeper than they were. We therefore had to exhume the pipes and start afresh.”
Tandi said that council is now targeting April 2021 as the month that will bring the Dangamvura water problems to finality.
“God willingly, our target of the completion of the project is now April 2021. It is our wish that once we complete the pipeline we will now target the completion of the area 3 reservoir so that water is always there in Dangamvura,” said Tandi.
The local urban authority is focusing on recapitalization to complete hanging capital, infrastructure, and rehabilitation works for its real estate, after central government approved its budget.
The Dangamvura water project is a top priority as it was also stalled by delays in supply and delivery of imported materials caused by logistical challenges relating to international logistics.
Finance Director, Blessing Chafesuka said the approval of the budget was a green light to commence projects, to rehabilitate and refurbish dilapidated infrastructure, including council’s real estate properties.
He said council will target to roll over projects which were not completed in 2020, with particular focus on the Dangamvura water project and rehabilitation works across the city.
“We are targeting a number of project some which could not be concluded and had to be rolled over to this year, with particular focus on the Dangamvura water project,” he said.
