Mayor Coltart Proposes Recycling Water From Khami Dam

Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart on Tuesday hinted that the local authority is considering recycling water from the heavily polluted Khami Dam as a potential solution to the city’s water crisis.

During the Wet Skills Foundation ceremony, Coltart suggested that the city could take inspiration from the City of London in the United Kingdom, which recycles water up to 20 times a day. Said Coltart (via Southern Eye):

To the south-west of the city, we have Khami Dam whose water people will not drink because they think it is filthy and yet the quality of that water can easily be enhanced. So there are many solutions that are open to us.

We understand that in the context of the city, there are a variety of aspects that involve the problem of water. It is not just the construction of dams and the construction of efficient water delivery systems, [but] it is also the recycling of water.

However, Bulawayo residents have long resisted the drawing of water from Khami Dam, citing contamination issues, including allegations of human remains and raw sewage.

In response to Coltart’s remarks, Bulawayo United Residents Association (BURA) chairperson Winos Dube said that there was a need to conduct extensive consultations before residents would consider accepting the proposal. He said:

Water from that place is not highly recommended for human consumption. Sometime during the liberation struggle, bodies were dumped there. Residents also believe that the water is contaminated with sewage from the suburbs.

Why don’t they just come up with an irrigation scheme? However, the issue is a bit tricky because residents believe that if they water their vegetables with the water, even the vegetables will become contaminated.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) chairperson Stephen Nkomo raised concerns about the council’s ability to effectively purify water to ensure it is safe for drinking. Said Nkomo:

We want to have a demonstration and see the water for ourselves so that residents can gain confidence on whether the council can clean that water so that it is safe enough to drink.

Nkomo agreed with Coltart’s perspective that recycling water is a beneficial approach, suggesting that the water could be utilised for irrigation and maintaining council lawns rather than for human consumption.

More: Pindula News