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Four decades without investment: How Bulawayo’s water system crumbled

Bulawayo’s Mayor David Coltart says illegal gold mining is preventing the city’s supply dams from filling up, despite recent heavy rainfall in Zimbabwe’s second-largest city.

Speaking at a ward meeting in Nkulumane on Sunday, Mayor Coltart said dam levels had risen by only 4.53% despite substantial precipitation, with the city’s reservoirs operating at just 29% capacity.

“I rode my bicycle 40km towards Umzingwane Dam last Saturday to assess the situation myself. I was shocked – not a single stream was flowing after all that rain. The reason? Illegal gold panners,” the mayor told residents.

The crisis comes despite the Zimbabwean government’s ban on riverbed mining last year due to environmental concerns. Coltart outlined multiple factors exacerbating the water shortage:

โ€œWe face a major crisis, we have a build-up of a variety of reasons, first of all we had a drought, El Nino so our dam levels dropped, secondly the gold panners, thirdly we have the growth of the city, buildings every with no new dams so obviously population growth,  then fourthly, we have not invested in our infrastructure for four decades. All of you know, you have not seen new pipes being laid throughout the city and all of this has come together, there is no overnight solution to the situation,โ€ said Coltart. 

He added, โ€œIf we have good rains and our dams fill, that is going to help us a great deal because we can get the raw water but itโ€™s no more going to help the dilapidated piping system.โ€ 

The city’s water utility faces additional challenges from unscheduled power cuts by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).

“Our pumping systems at Ncema require specific sequences to operate safely. Sudden power cuts have damaged some of our pumps,” Mr Coltart explained.

To address the electricity problems, authorities are considering installing solar plants at the Ncema pumping station to reduce dependence on the national grid.

Residents in elevated areas of Bulawayo face particularly acute water shortages due to insufficient pressure in the gravity-fed distribution system. The mayor acknowledged that restoring consistent water pressure would require maintaining constant flow through the system.

“Even if our dams fill up, we still face challenges with our dilapidated piping system,” Mr Coltart added, indicating that the city’s water crisis requires long-term solutions beyond just increased rainfall.

Senzeni Ncube

Senzeni Ncube is an accomplished journalist based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, with seven years of experience in hard news, investigative writing, fact-checking, and a keen focus on social development, mining, elections, and climate change. She has extensive expertise in reporting community service delivery issues, demonstrating a deep understanding of politics, human rights, gender equality, corruption, and healthcare. Additionally, she possesses proficiency in video production and editing and is dedicated to providing high-quality journalism that highlights crucial social matters and amplifies the voices of the community. Senzeni is known for her thought-provoking interviewing skills.

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