Temporary water relief for Bulawayo residents

BULAWAYO'S water situation has improved significantly, with the city's supply dams reaching 66.35 percent capacity by July, but operational challenges continue to limit the amount of water being produced for residents.

According to the latest Water and Sanitation Department report presented to council on July 16, the city's dams held a combined 275.12 million cubic metres of water, including dead water, with 258.54 million cubic metres classified as usable.

The storage level was 22.46 percentage points higher than at the same time last year, when the city's dams were 43.89 percent full.

Insiza Dam was 88.16 percent full, holding 149.48 million cubic metres, while Mtshabezi Dam was virtually full at 99.99 percent, with 51.96 million cubic metres.

Inyankuni was 33.71 percent full, Lower Ncema 23.79 percent, Umzingwane 40.43 percent and Upper Ncema 52.93 percent.

Despite the improved water reserves, council said production remained below the potential level because of maintenance work, equipment breakdowns and supply interruptions.

The city's water sources could provide an average of about 165 megalitres per day (ML/day), but actual abstraction averaged 125.1 ML/day, while production was lower still at 115.9 ML/day.

The report also warned that Lower Ncema remained under pressure and could run out of usable water by October 23 if current conditions persist.

As at July 15, the dam had only 3.61 million cubic metres of usable water.

Other dams have considerably longer projected lifespans. Umzingwane was expected to last until August 7, 2027, while Upper Ncema could last until January 15, 2028.

Inyankuni's projected depletion date was October 26, 2028, while Insiza was expected to last until November 20, 2029.

Mtshabezi had the longest projected lifespan, with depletion estimated for September 25, 2031.

The city is also increasingly relying on groundwater to supplement supplies from its dams.

The Nyamandlovu aquifer was producing an average of 7.731 ML/day from 33 operational boreholes — 10 at Epping Forest and 23 at Rochester.

However, the council reported that only two of five pumps were operational at both Rochester and Cowdray Park, highlighting continued infrastructure challenges affecting groundwater production.

Councillors also raised concerns over delays in the development of the Umganini Aquifer, which has been identified as a potentially important climate-resilient source of water for the city.

The report said the aquifer could contribute meaningfully to Bulawayo's water security if drilling targeted fractured and weathered zones with proven groundwater potential.

The project could potentially produce about 4 ML/day if approximately 20 boreholes achieving performance similar to Borehole Three were developed.

Council stressed, however, that groundwater should complement rather than replace surface water supplies.

Three drilling companies have been appointed to survey and drill nine boreholes, but site verification and town planning clearance were still underway.

The delays prompted concern among councillors, with committee chairperson Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu questioning the absence of a clear completion timeline.

She noted that the project had been running for more than three months and sought clarification on when the completed boreholes would be handed over for community use.

The Water and Sanitation Department said the project remained at the feasibility stage following completion of pre-feasibility and feasibility studies.

It said financial constraints had resulted in VEI taking responsibility for the project, with the donor determining the implementation schedule.

Council therefore could not compel the donor to adhere to a specific timeline, the department said.

Meanwhile, progress on the long-awaited Gwayi-Shangani Dam project is continuing, although the pipeline component remains significantly behind the dam wall.

The dam wall was reported to be 80 percent complete, while pipeline construction had reached 16 percent. The mini-hydro power plant was 72 percent complete.

Council is also continuing discussions with Government over the proposed Glassblock-Bopoma Dam and pipeline project.

The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has engaged the city over a draft water purchase agreement, although its legal department has raised concerns over the proposed build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement.

Mayor David Coltart and Town Clerk Christopher Dube recently met senior officials from the relevant ministries to discuss the outstanding issues.

The ministry is expected to provide guidance on the legal concerns and clarify the institutional arrangements surrounding the project.

While the improved dam levels offer some relief to Bulawayo, the latest figures underline a key challenge facing the city: having water in storage does not automatically translate into water at the tap.

Until maintenance backlogs, equipment failures, pumping capacity and stalled water infrastructure projects are addressed, the city is likely to remain vulnerable to supply disruptions despite its substantially improved water reserves.