The Gwayi-Shangani Water Project is set to alleviate Bulawayo’s water woes by late 2025, the government has said.
In a recent multi-stakeholder meeting, the government affirmed its commitment to addressing Bulawayo’s water challenges by announcing that the Gwayi-Shangani water project will start benefiting the city by late 2025.
Dr. Anxious Masuka, (pictured) the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, provided this update during the gathering, emphasizing the completion of tendering for the necessary treatment works.
Apparently, a technical committee has since been appointed to oversee the improvement of water supply and services within the next 100 days, aiming to minimize losses.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart expressed gratitude for government support in seeking alternative solutions to the city’s long-standing water issues.
Apparently, as a short term solution to the water crisis in the country’s second largest city, the government has since availed $7 billion and a borehole drilling rig for Bulawayo.
The $7 billion fund will be channelled towards repairing broken-down boreholes at the Nyamandlovu Aquifer to ensure the pumping of 16 megalitres of water per day at full throttle, and rehabilitation of critical pump stations and pipelines whose damage has seen the city losing a lot of treated water.
According to the council, the water situation in the city was worsened by the vandalism of transformers and boreholes at Epping Forest and Nyamandlovu, which reduced the pumping capacity from 20 ML to 4 ML. This has affected 60,000 residents who rely on water from the aquifer.
Zwnews
