Bulawayo to get a new $208 million dam

THE City of Bulawayo is set to get a new dam to add to the six supply dams, a move that will significantly improve the water situation in the city.

According to the Ministry of Water, Climate and Environment, the city will soon be constructing a new dam at Glass Block in Matabeleland South, which is expected to cost an estimated $208 million.

Speaking during the Water, Sanitation and Energy Conference that was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Exhibition Centre on Friday, water resources planning and management director in the ministry, Mr Tinayeshe Mutazu said they had since identified a potential investor for the project and they were now working on the logistics.

"This project was thoroughly discussed during the Water Resources and Infrastructure Investment conference that was held in June and its estimated cost was pegged at $208 million and JR Goddard Construction put their name as a potential investor, hence we are working with them to iron out all the logistics before work begins.

"We feel this project will go a long way in alleviating the water problems in the city, which is why we are moving with urgency so that work begins as soon as possible," said Mr Mutazu.

The director revealed that the ministry was also actively working on two other key water projects for Bulawayo, which were the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project and the Epping Forest borehole project.

"During the conference we also tabled the Bulawayo-Zambezi Water Supply where the scope of work includes the completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, treatment works, the pipeline and storage.

"Another short-term priority project will be the Epping Forest project which requires $4 million. What I should reveal is that of the 10 priority projects that we have, Bulawayo has three projects. We believe that by the time we complete them the water problems in Bulawayo will be a thing of the past," said Mr Mutazu.

He revealed that they had also got potential investors for Kunzwi-Musami Harare Water Supply and Muda-Nyatsime Chitungwiza Water Supply with the two projects expected to cost $865 million and $232 million respectively.

"A memorandum to seek Cabinet approval to carry out a due diligence on the potential investors was submitted to Cabinet. J R Goddard Construction, Sino-Hydro, New Harare Water, China State Construction and Bread Basket Private Limited have made further engagements with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate and Zinwa after the Water Resources and Infrastructure Investment Conference.

"Engagements and consultations are at various levels with the potential investors. The potential investors are mostly gathering information about the projects in which they are interested," said Mr Mutazu.

Meanwhile, Mr Mutazu said they were working at establishing an independent regulatory body that was going to help regulate the issue of tariffs, which he revealed was scaring away potential investors.

"One issue that we have discovered is that potential investors are being scared away by the matter of tariffs which are not attractive and are not static, which is why we are now working on establishing this body, which is now the trend worldwide."