Story by Lisa Masuku
BULAWAYO will start getting water from the Gwayi- Shangani Lake by late next year in a development set to end the perennial water challenges in the city.
This came out of a multi-stakeholder meeting convened by the government in Bulawayo this Wednesday.
With the government showing commitment towards addressing Bulawayo’s perennial water challenges, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka confirmed during a stakeholders meeting in Bulawayo this Wednesday that the Gwayi-Shangani water project will start benefitting the city by late 2025.
“The earliest we will be able to deliver water to Bulawayo is late 2025 into 2026. We have finished tendering for the two-stage treatment works for Bulawayo,” said Dr Masuka.
In a bid to improve service delivery in the city, a technical committee was appointed to oversee the improvement of water supply and services over 100 days from November 2023 to February 2024.
“Our mandate as the committee is to make sure we deliver water to Bulawayo with minimum losses,” said Chairperson of the technical committee on water, Engineer Annatoria Chinyama.
Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart said the city is grateful for the government’s support in helping Bulawayo seek alternative medium and short term solutions to water challenges.
“We are grateful for your support in helping us achieve short and medium-term solutions,” he said.
Bulawayo has been battling perennial water challenges for a long time, with water shedding has become a norm in the city.
