Gwayi-Shangani Dam works expedited

Zim Now Writer

In an effort to ensure Bulawayo’s perennial water problems are a thing of the past, government has invited tenders for the construction of a new water treatment plant in Cowdray suburb, which is aimed at treating water from the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

The dam, which is 70 percent complete and is expected to be commissioned next year while 104km of the 245km pipeline expected to take water to the City of Kings has already been cleared to make way for the digging of trenches.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), which is in charge of the project, signed a US$50 million contract early this year with Flowtite South Africa for the supply of glass fibre-reinforced pipes needed for the pipeline, with part of the consignment having been delivered in Cowdray Park.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Anxious Masuka recently said the pipeline will be able to deliver 220ML/day.

“The proposed treatment plant in Cowdray Park will be having a capacity of 80 megalitres (ML) per day,” said Dr Masuka.

The completion of the dam will not only solve Bulawayo’s water supply challenges but will lives of people along the pipeline as they can cultivate crops under irrigation with government having already identified 10 000 hectares that will be put under irrigation.

Besides enhancing food security, a 10 MW power plant is also expected to be established at the Gwayi-Shangani dam