Zimpapers Logo

Bulawayo Mayor Martin Moyo

Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
THE construction of Bulawayo’s new supply dam near Filabusi in Matabeleland South will start mid this year, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo has said.

The Glassblock Dam project is expected to take two and a half years.

The project that will be undertaken at an estimated cost of $208 million will see Bulawayo having seven supply dams in a move that will significantly improve the water situation in the city.

Clr Moyo said this while updating councillors during a full council meeting on Wednesday after he toured the dam site with officials from the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).

“I’m happy to announce that the construction of the new dam near Filabusi will start mid this year. I was invited to a tour of the dam site by Zinwa and indications are that it will take about two and a half years to construct.

“The dam, which will be managed by Zinwa, will be as big as Insiza Dam, meaning that it will go a long way in improving the water situation in the city which has always been a headache for council. It’s a welcome development and we hope the dam will be complete within the stipulated period,” said Clr Moyo.

In an interview yesterday, Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Majorie Munyonga said Glassblock Dam is being constructed under a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“The Glassblock Dam project is being pursued through a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement with the private sector providing the requisite funding.

“An application for the approval of the PPP proposal is being pursued through the Joint Ventures Act route and until such a time the application has been determined and funding availed, construction timelines cannot be given,” said Mrs Munyonga.

The construction of the dam was mooted two years ago.

During that time, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate said it had identified a potential investor for the project.

The Ministry also said it was working on two other key water projects for Bulawayo, the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project and the Gwayi-Shangani Dam project. — @pamelashumba1