BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is forging ahead with the construction of Bopoma Dam commonly referred to as Glassblock Dam in Filabusi as the local authority makes concerted efforts to provide adequate water to its residents and ratepayers.
The development comes amid reports that BCC officials met with potential private partners at the council chambers to map the way forward on Monday this week.
BCC is planning to construct a US$100 million water supply dam in Insiza district, Matabeleland South, as part of its short-to-medium-term solution to the perennial water crisis in the city.
Bulawayo has 120-hour water shedding in place after the decommissioning of Mzingwane Dam due to low levels of water leaving the city with six dams supplying water.
BCC has six supply dams located in Matabeleland South namely, Insiza Mayfair, Mtshabezi, Lower Ncema, Upper Ncema, Inyankuni and Mzingwane.
The completion of Bopoma Dam will result in the city having seven supply dams.
Bulawayo mayor David Coltart revealed the new development in a statement on Monday saying the city fathers met potential private partners as they forge ahead with plans for the construction of Bopoma Dam.
“This morning the @CityofBulawayo takes an important further step forward in securing our future water supplies when we meet with potential private partners regarding a feasibility report submitted to us concerning a new dam commonly known as Glassblock but which may well be referred to in future as Bopoma Dam,” he wrote on social networking site X.
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“When built, this dam will add 70% more capacity to Bulawayo's water reserves. Our intention is to move forward with this as a matter of urgency. It is a critical component in our medium-term plans to secure Bulawayo's water supplies.”
Coltart also confirmed the development in an interview with Southern Eye, adding that the consortium of companies which had done feasibility studies on Bopoma Dam presented the results to the meeting.
“It also has conducted a financial feasibility study on the costs of the dam and how it will be financed. So the discussion points were on that.
“The second discussion point related to the rehabilitation and expansion of Ncema water treatment works and related works necessary to expand for example the Tuli Reservoir on the south east of the city.
“Further discussion points related to producing these reports for presentation to the full council meeting scheduled for the 8th of May.”
He said the meeting also discussed ways to secure the consent of the relevant government departments to commence the exercise of securing funds required for the dam.
The project will also require construction of a pipeline and related ancillary works that link Ncema water treatment works with Tuli.
Coltart said BCC was expecting to begin the project as soon as possible subject to obtaining consent of government.
He, however, revealed that the project can affect some villagers in the area.
“Yes of course it is possible that some will have to be relocated. I do not know the number of households at this juncture as we are in the early stages of this, but clearly that will have to be part of the exercise,” he said.
Coltart could not, however, commit to the timelines for project completion only saying around 2027.
