Zambezi pipeline: Will it solve Byo’s thirst?
Providence Moyo
In the face of ongoing Bulawayo water scarcity, doubts linger among councillors on whether the mooted Matabeleland Zambezi water pipeline is a solution grounded in reality.
The authority laments financial constraints which have hindered progress towards completing this century-old project.
This emerged during the State of Civic Society Organisations (CSOs) hosted by Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) on Monday.
Leaders of CSOs, human rights activists, academics and Bulawayo City Council representatives were in attendance. During the meeting, council staff stressed the the water crisis requires viable financial support.
According to Ward 3 councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu, the ZWL $68 billion allocated to each province for water, by the central government as per Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube’s proposed national budget on November 30, is a mere drop in the ocean concerning Bulawayo’s water troubles. This proposed amount makes it difficult to consider Matabeleland Zambezi water pipeline an immediate solution since the project needs at least USD $400 million.
Water and sanitation have been allocated 608 billion across ten provinces which means each province will benefit from ZWL $68 billion.
According to Mahlangu, if government continues to under-fund local authorities then completing this project may take up to seven years while facing consequences such as droughts and dilapidated infrastructure. Instead, he suggests that focus should shift to connecting Insiza dam which is only 11 km away from Inyankuni without pumping any additional water between them. Mahlangu says the estimated costs are around US$100 million.
Dr Nothando Moyo called for BCC subsidies on borehole drilling as a way to curb city-wide water problems. She suggested that if BCC purchased machinery and contracted a particular driller with subsidies then residents could access more affordable options.
“Borehole drilling in the yards might go a long way in alleviating water problems for citizens but the drillers are expensive so if the local authority would purchase machinery and contract a certain driller on subsidies then the residents may have access to water.”
However, Councillor Skhululekile Moyo opposed the idea stating that selling water is vital revenue generation for BCC and that subsidizing borehole drilling would negatively impact income streams essential towards making Bulawayo ia smart city by 2024.
“BCC makes revenue through commercialisation of water services hence subsidising borehole drilling will milk the local authority of the little revenue that it gets through selling water. Water is the business of the local authority and we are striving to be a smart city by 2024,” said Cllr Moyo.
Councillors took the opportunity to challenge residents to pay their rates as a means of capacitating the city to move forward and councillor for ward 10, Khalazani Ndlovu revealed that as of last week, ward 10 residents owed BCC ZWL $3 billion.
The Matabeleland Zambezi water pipeline was initiated in 1912 with the aim of solving the chronic water woes in the city of Bulawayo and Matabeleland region through constructing a 450 km water pipeline from the Zambezi river to Bulawayo. Upon completion, the structure would also help boost the economic landscape in the region through agriculture and irrigation.
