Bulawayo Needs US$150 Million To Address Water Crisis - Mayor
Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, said that the city council needs to raise 150 million dollars to build the Glass Block Dam and rehabilitate the water pumps to address the city’s perennial water crisis.
CITE reported that a team of engineers has proposed building the Glass Block Dam in Filabusi, which will be capable of providing 70 per cent of Bulawayo’s water needs.
Coltart said there was consensus between the central government and the local authority on the need to construct the Glass Block Dam. He said (via CITE):
Once again we praise God, there is consensus with the central government that we need to build a glass block dam and the pipeline from Glassblock to Ncema Dam. Thank God for that consensus.
We need to raise 150 million dollars to build the glass block and build a pipeline to rehabilitate the Ncema pump station and expand the Tuli reservoir on the outskirts of our city. Let us pray specifically for that. Those are our water needs.
Coltart also stated that the city requires US$14 million to tackle short-term water issues.
Additionally, he revealed that Bulawayo’s sewerage systems are operating at only 20 per cent efficiency. He said:
Many of you I know are battling with raw sewage in your yards. Councillor (Lezina) Mohamed took me to Thorngrove two weeks ago and I was appalled by what I saw.
Young children were close to raw sewage flowing in the streets, close to houses, close to schools, close to clinics.
Unfortunately, that is a consequence of our sewage systems not functioning, they are working at about 20 per cent capacity.
The mayor said the council is working with private companies and other stakeholders to invest in the rehabilitation of the city’s sewerage system.
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