Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund (ZIMFUND) Launches Flagship Infrastructure Development Project

HARARE, Zimbabwe, April 16, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund (ZimFund) has handed-over the site of Mutare water and sanitation works to the contractor. This project, valued at USD 9.04 million, is the first to be implemented under the Fund's overall USD 29.65 million Urgent Water Supply and Sanitation Rehabilitation Project (UWSSRP), which will also see developments in the municipalities of Chegutu, Chitungwiza, Harare, Kwekwe and Masvingo.

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The UWSSR project has been designed to improve the health and social wellbeing of the residents of the beneficiary cities, through the equitable provision of adequate water supply and sanitation services. The ZimFund grant will enable the provision of urgent support for the restoration and stabilization of water supply and sanitation services in the six municipalities, by undertaking emergency rehabilitation to the systems and reducing pollution of the water sources.

In Mutare, the project comprises of (i) the partial rehabilitation of Odzani Water Treatment works; (ii) the completion of the Chikanga Reservoir; (iii) the completion of the Mutare Trunk Sewer; (iv) the rehabilitation of Gimboki Sewerage Treatment Works; and (v) the supply of laboratory and other equipment for maintenance.

Speaking after the site handover, ZimFund Manager, Eng. Emmanuel Nzabanita said, “I am delighted that this project that is expected to have a major impact on the people living in Mutare has commenced.

The rehabilitation of Chikanga Water Reservoir, the Gimboki BNR Sewage treatment plant and the pipeline for the outfall sewer will improve the water and sanitation services considerably. The restoration of some wastewater treatment capacity in the project areas will reduce pollution to the fresh water sources and the immediate environment. The investment and capacity building in this sector will foster improved service delivery and relationships between the providers of water supply and sanitation services and the people they serve. This project will certainly result in systems that are better operated, with more water of better quality supplied for longer periods of the day”.

In addition to the water and sanitation projects, ZimFund is also supporting the Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (EPIRP) to the tune of USD 35 million. Benefitting the electricity consuming public in Zimbabwe – especially the poor – this second project will rehabilitate the Ash Plant at Hwange Power Station (HPS), in addition to sub-transmission and distribution facilities in Atlanta (Murehwa), Criterion (Bulawayo), Gweru, Kadoma, Marvel (Bulawayo), Mazowe, Mpopoma (Bulawayo), Norton, Pomona (Harare), Redcliff, Sherwood (Kwe Kwe), Victoria Falls, Zisco (Redcliff), Zvishavane and electricity distribution facilities throughout the country.

Once complete, these refurbishments and reinforcements of the sub-transmission and distribution networks will improve system reliability and allow the restoration of supply services to about 22,000 customers in various neighbourhoods across the country that presently have no access to electricity services.

The EPIR Project is linked to UWSSR Project, in that it will also improve the electricity supply to the water treatment plant of the Harare city water supply as well as the other five urban water supply systems, with a possible contribution to the reduction in the incidence of cholera and other water related diseases.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of the African Development Bank.

About ZimFund

ZimFund, the Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund administered by the African Development Bank (http://www.afdb.org), is an infrastructure development program which supports Zimbabwe's economic recovery by improving the quality of life of ordinary citizens, particularly of the poor. It is a major collaborative effort between members of the donor community and the Government of Zimbabwe, designed to rehabilitate infrastructure and restore basic services in Water and Sanitation and Energy throughout the country.

Funding partners to date include the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. ZimFund is administered by the African Development Bank.

For further information on ZimFund, please contact:

[email protected] (ZimFund Manager)

ZIMFUND

The African Development Bank

Zimbabwe Field Office

5th Floor Joina City Centre

Cnr Jason Moyo Avenue/Julius Nyerere Way

Harare, Zimbabwe

Tel: +263 (04) 752838