BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has entered into a US$100 000 public-private partnership to rehabilitate its Aisleby waste water treatment works (WWTW).
The partnership with the Henock Ranching (PVT) Limited includes the use of treated effluent to irrigate its Aisleby farm.
BCC’s engineering services director Sikhumbuzo Ncube recently informed a full council meeting about the deal.
According to council minutes, Henock Ranching was developing three areas of Hopeville, Hopelyn and Hope Estate with 10 000 housing units.
“Due to the initial agreement between the City of Bulawayo and Henock Ranching which allowed Hopeville and Hopelyn to discharge a maximum of 250m3/day and 100m3/day, respectively, of sewage into the Aiselby 3 outfall (Intindita line) the stated limits would be reached within eight years (2030) causing developer to build their own on-site sewage treatment facilities,” Ncube said in his report to council.
“Henock Ranching (Pvt) Ltd had proposed to improve treatment capacity at the Aiselby WWTW, rehabilitate the Aiselby 3 outfall and resuscitate irrigation infrastructure at Aisleby Farm,” said Ncube.
Ncube further reported that the short-term rehabilitation of Aisleby 3 outfall would cost an estimated US$60 000. A detailed scope of works and design was, however, required before implementation to ensure that the design was suitable.
“These rehabilitation works would assist in doing the phased approach for rehabilitating the 8,64km of outfall which required upgrading and replacing of pipe work, manholes and manhole ventilation pipes,” said Ncube.
- BCC pens US$100k waste water deal
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“Hence, the works proposed should follow the recommendations from the Engineering Services Department. As another short-term measure, Henock Ranching (Pvt) Ltd proposed to rehabilitate the electromechanical components at an estimated cost of US$80 000.
“These works and overall scope would need to be done to the requirements of the Director of Engineering Services under the supervision of the Electro-Mechanical section.”
Under the deal the developer requested to operate up to 370 hectares of Aisleby Farm, comprising the Main Field (300ha) and the adjacent Side Field (70ha) for 15 years, to receive all the effluent from the 3 Aisleby WWTWs.
Council also indicated that the proposal would enable the city to rehabilitate the Aisleby plants within a short period of time, while reducing the environmental effects of untreated waste which had become visible on both Upper and Lower Umguza dams were water quality was deteriorating.
