The Sunday News
Fairness Moyana, Hwange Correspondent
HWANGE Local Board will next month start running its sewer systems on solar energy after it refurbished and redesigned its plants as part of reducing costs of running them on electricity.
The development comes after a protracted war between HLB and Zinwa which saw the neglect of the sewer treatment plants with the local authority accusing the water authority of shortchanging residents after it refused to hand over the running of water preferring to cede only the sewer reticulation system.
HLB Town Secretary Mr Ndumiso Mdlalose said the project, which is the first of its kind by any local authority, will cost $78 000 and is set to be rolled out in stages.
“In terms of our planning, the Baobab Plant will be up and running at the end of this month totally refurbished and redesigned to run on solar as we want to take it off the Zesa grid.
“We will do the same for the Empumalanga Plant and hopefully by the end of the year we will be showcasing these two plants running totally on solar and we believe it is the first project of its kind for any local authority,” said Mr Mdlalose.
He said the move was part of efforts to service the plants which have been down for the past eight years after Zinwa took over the provision of water. The non-servicing of the electricity bill to Zesa resulted in power being cut from the system.
Since then, raw effluent has been flowing in the streets, polluting streams and rivers, water sources of rural communities in the district attracting fines from the Environmental Management Agency.
