Fortune Nkosi
Bulawayo—There is an uproar over the Bulawayo City Council’s proposed Bopomag Glassblock Dam project, which city fathers are pushing for as a solution to the city’s worsening water crisis.
According to city officials, the Glassblock alternative will improve city water supplies that have been low for years.
The Bopoma Glassblock Dam has a projected capacity of producing 129 million cubic metres and is expected to deliver an additional 68 megalitres of water daily to Bulawayo.
The ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development initiated the Glassblock project, which involves constructing a dam and a pipeline to deliver water to the Lower Ncema treatment works.
Tenders for this Build-Own-Operate-and-Transfer (BOOT) project were invited in March 2019. JR Goddard Contracting was invited to engage with the ministry for a joint venture memorandum on 8 August 2019.
Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is currently holding consultations with residents.to decide whether or not to proceed with the Glassblock project.
Residents have called for greater accountability, transparency, and assurances that the project will not further burden already struggling households.
They questioned the long-term financial implications of the agreement and sought clarity on whether the proposed project would address the city’s water challenges without imposing unbearable costs on consumers.
The financial burden of purchasing water under a BOOT agreement with private investors has become a point of contention.
Currently, residents pay US$1.22 per kilo-litre for treated water, but the cost is projected to rise to US$1.38 under the blended cost of production.
During the meeting, Khumbulani Maphosa, a Bulawayo resident and environmental activist, expressed concerns about potential price hikes over the 25-year contract period.
“Does the purchase agreement guarantee us that the water price will not increase drastically along the way? The private sector is driven by profit. Do we have safeguards in place to protect us from price hikes? What happens if we need to pull out of this agreement? Will there be penalties?” he asked.
Maphosa also expressed fear that the dam would be affected by alluvial artisanal mining in the catchment area and the resultant siltation, as has happened with other dams in the same area.
“What assurances are there that this dam will not suffer the same fate? Are there strategies to mitigate these risks?” he queried.
Fani Dube, a church leader, questioned the affordability of the proposed water tariffs, especially for low-income households.
“Residents are already struggling to pay water bills at the current rate. How does this proposal align with Sustainable Development Goal 6, which speaks to the affordability of drinking water? Could we not instead address siltation in existing dams to increase their capacity and avoid adding another financial burden 9in the form of the new dam)?” he asked.
Dube urged the council to adopt solutions that consider the economic realities of residents. “Do we really need another dam, or can we rehabilitate our existing infrastructure to ensure more efficient water supply?” he said.
Residents also sought clarity on project timelines and the city’s role in the dam’s construction. Pamela Ngoma, director of Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BUPRA) questioned the dam’s projected completion time frame of four years given similar projects such as the Gwayi-Shangani Dam have delayed by many years.
“Gwayi-Shangani has been in the works for decades. What guarantees do we have that this project will meet its timelines?” she asked.
A pastor, Elliot Mandaza, also raised concern about the proposed Bulawayo Water Company, fearing that the formation of the agency would privatise water services and drive costs up.
He also asked whether Glassblock would fit into the city’s long-term water management plans.
The BCC chamber secretary, Sikhangele Zhou, defended the project, insisting that the city had limited options for increasing its raw water supply.
She projected that the price of water would decrease over 15 years.
“The charges are informed by the financing arrangements of the private investors. While no agreement is cast in stone, we are negotiating to ensure fair terms. Our main concern is securing raw water sources to meet the city’s growing demand,” she said.
According to Kwanele Sibanda, the city’s current raw water supply is approximately 181.5 megalitres per day, “but this is insufficient to meet the daily demand.”
During dry periods, the available yield can drop to as low as 127 megalitres per day, Sibanda said.
She highlighted that the dam’s location in the upper Umzingwane catchment area was strategically chosen to harness streams downstream of existing sources.
“Glassblock will have a capacity of 129 million cubic metres, making it the second-largest dam after Insiza. It will provide 68 megalitres daily, ensuring a more stable supply during droughts,” she said.
Despite these assurances, residents remained unconvinced about the project’s long-term benefits and the lack of alternative solutions.
“We need to understand what happens if we reject this proposal. Are there other options that can deliver similar results without increasing costs? Can we improve existing dams and avoid this project altogether?” asked Maphosa.
A resident, Siphathisiwe Zulu, called for greater transparency in the tendering process, questioning the role of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and the private investors.
“How was the tender awarded under the BOOT arrangement? What will be transferred to the city once the 25-year contract ends?” she asked.