Bulawayo backs Zinara tollgate water connection

The Bulawayo City Council has recommended approval of a water connection for the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara)'s Esigodini tollgate, despite an existing council resolution suspending new external water connections.

According to council deliberations, the proposed connection will involve the construction of a 2.9-kilometre pipeline from the city's 750mm bulk water pipeline running between Ncema and the Fernhill Booster Station.

The recommendation is subject to several conditions aimed at protecting the city's water infrastructure.

Council directed Zinara to appoint a qualified private consulting engineer to design and supervise the project, with all engineering designs requiring approval by the local authority before construction begins.

Zinara must also obtain permission from the owner of the affected farm through which the pipeline will pass.

Construction will only be permitted after all prescribed fees have been paid and a detailed programme of works has been submitted to the council's Water Branch.

Council inspectors will oversee the project throughout its implementation, with Zinara expected to cover all inspection costs, including mileage.

During discussions, Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu expressed concern that the new connection could place additional pressure on Bulawayo's already constrained water supply and potentially encourage illegal water off-takes along the pipeline.

However, Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu supported the application, noting that the proposed development falls within the 40-kilometre radius covered by the city's master plan.

Officials from the Water Department assured councillors that the connection posed minimal risk to the city's water resources.

"The facility is only a tollgate requiring water for consumption and ablution. It will not affect the city's water supply," the council minutes state.

The officials added that a water meter would be installed to monitor consumption, with Zinara assuming responsibility for any downstream problems arising from the connection.

Council ultimately resolved to recommend approval of the application "albeit the resolution which suspended all outside connections", citing Zinara's status as a government agency.

Meanwhile, councillors also reviewed the city's water allocation regime introduced in June 2024 when dam levels reached critically low levels.

With water storage having improved, council resolved that previous water allocations would be restored gradually on a case-by-case basis rather than through an immediate blanket lifting of restrictions.

"The system is still undergoing stabilisation," the report noted.

Under the phased approach, domestic consumers, industries, hotels, hospitals and peri-urban communities will receive gradual adjustments to their water allocations while authorities continue monitoring demand patterns and the performance of the city's water supply system before implementing broader changes.