Bulawayo councillors are divided over the city’s Glassblock Dam project, with some warning against relying on a single source of water and others pressing for urgent action on all available options.
The dam, to be constructed on the Mzingwane River in Matabeleland South, is expected to hold approximately 14 million cubic metres of water.
It is seen as a medium-term intervention to address Bulawayo’s deepening water crisis, which has left residents enduring frequent water rationing and shortages in recent years.
At a full council meeting earlier this month, Ward 18 Councillor Felix Madzana cautioned that the project could leave Bulawayo dependent on one supply.
“If we amend in the manner prescribed, Glassblock becomes the sole supplier of water to the city. Let’s keep our options open so that other resources remain available,” he said.
Ward 28 Councillor Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu argued the project was too costly.
“My recommendation is that Glassblock should be a last resort because the cost of pumping is very high. Aquifers and supplies from Nyamandlovu are cheaper,” he said.
Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu urged council to accelerate work on all water projects.
“We cannot be choosers at this stage. We need water from Glassblock, Gwayi-Shangani, aquifers and all the dams. The current sources cannot meet the demands of a growing population,” he said.
Mayor David Coltart warned that some alternatives carried their own challenges, pointing to the 250km pipeline and massive power needs of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam project.
“Unless the government gives a massive subsidy, water from Gwayi-Shangani will be three times the cost of existing supplies,” he said.
Coltart also explained that international financiers backing Glassblock required guarantees that the city would buy all water supplied, not just what it consumed, a condition similar to Bulawayo’s existing contract with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) for Mtshabezi Dam.
Bulawayo faces recurring shortages, and officials agree that without urgent investment in multiple projects, the crisis will persist.
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