Harare govt red tape stalls Bulawayo's water lifeline

Bulawayo's efforts to secure an additional water source have hit fresh government delays, with the city still seeking clarity from ministries over the implementation of the long-delayed Glass Block Bopoma Dam project.

The impasse centres on a proposed US$100 million Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement backed by a private consortium led by local construction firm J.R. Goddard Contracting and finance house Promethean Storey.

Under the proposed 20- to 25-year BOT model, the consortium would finance, construct and temporarily operate the bulk water supply infrastructure before eventually handing it over to the municipality.

However, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has raised legal concerns over the proposed arrangement, potentially threatening private financing efforts and further delaying the project.

A council report presented on August 24 said the ministry had engaged the city over a draft water purchase agreement, with its legal department raising concerns about the BOT structure.

The city responded by referring to correspondence from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority dated May 5, 2026, confirming that the ministry responsible for water had previously authorised council to implement the Glass Block Bopoma Dam and Pipeline Project.

Zinwa, however, clarified that its role was primarily regulatory, ensuring compliance with technical and safety requirements under the Water Act.

The latest disagreement has prompted the city to seek intervention from the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development.

"Given the strategic importance of the project to the long-term water security of Bulawayo and the Matabeleland region, the City had requested the ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development to formally communicate its position to the ministry of Local Government and Public Works," the council report said.

According to the city, such communication would eliminate institutional ambiguity, strengthen confidence among financiers and development partners, improve inter-governmental coordination and support timely implementation of the project.

The Glass Block Bopoma Dam, located along the Umzingwane River in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, is being pursued as a medium-term solution to Bulawayo's chronic water shortages.

The project involves construction of a 13-metre-high concrete-faced rockfill dam and a 41-kilometre bulk pipeline linking the reservoir to the city's Ncema Water Treatment Works.

Conceived decades ago, the project has repeatedly been delayed by funding constraints, bureaucratic hurdles and partnership challenges.

The proposed dam is expected to hold about 129 million cubic metres of water and supply between 68 and 70 megalitres a day to Bulawayo.

Its revival is regarded as critical to the city's water security, particularly as Bulawayo has not commissioned a major new supply dam since the construction of Mtshabezi Dam in 1994.

The city's existing major reservoirs — Inyankuni, Lower Ncema, Upper Ncema, Umzingwane and Insiza — were constructed between 1943 and 1975 and are under increasing pressure from population growth, siltation and severe droughts.

In May, the city was already engaged in negotiations with government officials and the Glass Block Bopoma Dam consortium over the water purchase agreement, with the African Development Bank also involved in the discussions.

The city said the agreement would provide the basis for the next steps towards implementation.

The latest dispute over the BOT model comes as Bulawayo also looks to the much larger Lake Gwayi-Shangani project, part of the long-running National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, for its long-term water security.

As of June 30, construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam was reported to be 80% complete, while the water intake tower was only 10% complete, according to the council report.