Bulawayo councillors slam inaction amid worsening water crisis

City councillors have voiced mounting concern over Bulawayo's deepening water crisis, accusing the municipal committee responsible for managing future supplies of failing to provide practical solutions to the ongoing shortage that has left residents in many suburbs without water for over two weeks.

During a full council meeting on Wednesday at City Hall, councillors from across the city called out the Future Water Supplies and Water Action Committee, arguing that the body had become too focused on technical projections and long-term planning, while ignoring residents' pressing needs.

Ward 22 Councillor Bruce Moyo was among those who criticised the committee, saying residents in suburbs like Nkulumane and Nketa had gone without water for extended periods.

"I noticed not much has been done in terms of providing practical solutions to the problem of delivering water to the residents of Bulawayo," said Moyo. "People have gone without water for two weeks."

He also warned that continued inaction risked undermining public trust, particularly as the city proceeds with its controversial plan to establish a municipal water utility.

"To residents, it seems like the council is always giving excuses. There's a perception that the crisis is being manufactured to justify a water utility agenda," he added.

Moyo urged the committee to develop short-term interventions, while engineers work to anticipate and mitigate future disruptions.

Ward 3 Councillor Mxolisi Mhlangu echoed concerns about the slow pace of progress but pointed to resource limitations as the key constraint.

"Future Water is hamstrung by the same issue facing the rest of council - lack of resources," said Mhlangu. "Their mandate should be to advise council on alternative sources such as aquifers and act as a liaison with government."

He cited stalled initiatives such as the tapping of the Nyamandlovu aquifers and the drilling of 400 boreholes. While discussed extensively, these projects have yet to gain traction due to chronic funding shortfalls.

"The focus must now be on securing the money needed to develop these water sources," he added.

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart said the city's biggest challenge is not a lack of water but rather an ageing and inefficient water distribution system.

"Bulawayo does not have a water shortage per se. With proper technology and funding, we could harness what we have," said Coltart.

He revealed that over 40% of the city's treated water is lost before reaching consumers - a staggering figure of non-revenue water caused by leaking pipes and outdated infrastructure.

"We need to address our reticulation system and invest in recycling. Cities like London recycle water up to 20 times. We should be exploring similar technologies," he said.

Coltart also cited poor catchment area management as a reason for declining dam levels despite above-average rainfall. He assured councillors that long-term projects, including the Glass Block Dam development and the Shangani River pipeline, are progressing.

"We have heard from experts, including those from Botswana, that there's an abundance of underground water. What we need is better drilling technology and larger-diameter boreholes," he said.

As the crisis deepens, councillors are urging the city to prioritise emergency interventions such as mobile water bowsers, borehole drilling, and public awareness campaigns on water conservation.

With residents growing increasingly frustrated, the pressure is mounting on Bulawayo's leadership to deliver tangible solutions before the city's water woes escalate into a full-blown humanitarian emergency.