Epworth’s deepening water crisis has triggered a contentious proposal to draw water from Marondera’s Wenimbi Dam, located 80 kilometres away, as local leaders push for immediate relief amid delays in the long-promised Kunzvi Dam project.
The initiative, spearheaded by Epworth-North Member of Parliament Zivai Mhetu, seeks to pipe water from Wenimbi Dam to supply the fast-growing suburb.
Mhetu confirmed ongoing negotiations with the Marondera City Council, which he says has indicated surplus capacity that could also benefit neighbouring suburbs such as Mabvuku, Ruwa, and Greendale.
“Marondera pumps its water from Wenimbi Dam, and they said we need to create a ‘Y’ junction so that water is also diverted towards us. Already, the water has gradient, and we are in low-lying areas, so it is to our advantage,” he said.
However, the Epworth Local Board is resisting the proposal, citing a government directive that water for the area must come from the under-construction Kunzvi Dam.
Mhetu argues that this stance is impractical given the urgency of the crisis.
“My worry is that with Kunzvi, we will be sharing with Chitungwiza, which has a huge population. I am worried we will get a portion not enough for everyone,” he said.
Mhetu revealed that discussions were ongoing to persuade the government to allow the Epworth Board to independently build a reservoir and manage water distribution, warning that over-reliance on public-private partnerships (PPPs) may prove problematic.
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“If the government alone starts to draw water through public-private partnerships (PPPs), it may fail to own up to payments, which is the reason many PPPs now refuse to get into such agreements,” he noted.
“All we need are letters to Marondera Council to ask for the connection of water from relevant departments so we can start the process.”
Urban planning expert Shingai Kawadza acknowledged that while the proposal is technically feasible, it presented major logistical, economic, and administrative challenges.
“Long-distance water transfer is feasible, but capital-intensive,” Kawadza stated, highlighting critical considerations such as topography and pumping requirements, the extensive pipeline infrastructure needed, water availability and allocation, and the substantial operational and maintenance costs.
He said constructing a dedicated, large-diameter transmission pipeline would require significant upfront investment, meticulous planning, and measures to mitigate environmental impacts.
Equally important is ensuring Wenimbi Dam’s hydrological capacity is sufficient to meet both Marondera’s growing demand and any additional supply to Epworth, particularly during droughts.
“The elevation profile between Marondera and Epworth must be assessed to determine whether gravity-fed systems can be used or if multiple pumping stations would be required,” he said.
“Pumping over 80km, particularly if there are elevation gains, would significantly increase operational costs due to energy requirements.”
Water rights and formal agreements between jurisdictions would also be necessary, Kawadza said.
“This proposal underscores the urgency of integrating water supply planning into urban expansion strategies,” he said.
“As peri-urban areas such as Epworth grow rapidly, regional infrastructure coordination becomes critical.
“While technically possible, drawing water from Wenimbi Dam to Epworth would require a detailed feasibility study, significant capital investment, and inter-municipal collaboration.”
