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In an interview yesterday Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) Gwayi Catchment manager Mr Fortune Musona said the construction of the dam   has been completed.
He, however, said there was a need to set up a treatment plant at the site before the dam could provide water to the town’s residents.

“We have completed constructing the dam  and we expect to handover the site to the  contractor engaged to put up the treatment plant,” said Mr Musona.
He said the water treatment plant project  was estimated to cost $1,5 million and if resources were made available work could be completed within six months.

Mr Musona said the construction of Madojwa   and Mpofu primary schools that were relocated to pave way for the construction of the dam, had also been completed.
Bubi-Lipane Dam has a capacity of 40 million cubic metres of water, which can adequately supply the  town’s residents as well as villagers from the surrounding areas.

At the moment Lupane town is relying on four boreholes which unfortunately are constantly breaking down.
Treasury allocated $1 million towards the completion of the dam project in this year’s budget.

There has been an outcry over delays by Government to  provide funding to complete outstanding development projects in Matabeleland region, especially projects to do with water supplies.
People from the region have roundly blasted Finance Minister Tendai Biti for not prioritising the projects in his budget allocations.

Among the outstanding projects are Gwayi-Shangani Dam, a major component of the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP), Mtshabezi-Umzingwane pipeline, Nkayi-Bulawayo Road, Bulawayo-Tsholotsho Road and the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport terminal upgrading.