BCC forges ahead with Khami Dam water plan

BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is set to release results of the pre-feasibility study on the re-use of wastewater which will ultimately pave way for its adoption as part of a raft of measures to address the city’s crippling water crisis.

The local authority has acknowledged the recycling of waste-water especially from Khami Dam as a feasible approach for industrial use to ensure a steady water supply in the wake of the effects of climate change.

The El Nino-induced drought attributed to climate change has further worsened the prevailing water situation following a decline in inflows into the city’s supply dam. This has resulted in BCC decommissioning some of its dams.

Although residents have previously opposed the council’s suggestion to recycle water from Khami Dam, citing pollution from human waste, BCC remains confident that contemporary technology can cleanse the water to ensure its safe use.

In 2020, the local authority announced that tests had confirmed that water from Khami Dam meets the drinking standards set by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The results indicated that the water quality is at par with that of Ncema Dam, which complies with the raw water specifications of the SAZ and WHO.

The recycling of water from Khami Dam has been included in the city’s medium-term strategy to tackle Bulawayo’s ongoing water issues.

Constructed in 1928, Khami Dam was taken out of service in 1988 due to severe pollution. Namibia has the Goreangab waste treatment plant, a first stop in the city’s pioneering water recycling system.

According to the Future Water Supplies and Water Action committee report presented at the full council yesterday, the city’s director of water and sanitation, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube said council has concluded a feasibility study.

He said last year, the council received USD100 000 to carry out a pre-feasibility study on wastewater reuse to help bridge the gap between supply and demand.

It secured funding from a Dutch entity, Vitens Evides International (VIE), to conduct a one-year feasibility and public-private partnership study for waste recycling.

“The purpose of the pre-feasibility study was to provide Bulawayo with a basis for future detailed feasibility studies, broaden the understanding of financing approaches and tools to promote sourcing of funding, implementation of infrastructure projects and other interventions aimed at improving the potential for re-use as an adaptation measure to mitigate the water supply demand gap.

Eng Ncube said a summary pre-feasibility report is currently being prepared.

He told the Future Water Supplies and Water Action committee that as part of the water management efforts, the city is taking proactive steps to secure sustainable water resources, including addressing water leaks and commercial losses, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing metering systems.

Various projects are underway to improve water delivery and infrastructure across different water treatment facilities, demonstrating the city’s commitment to long-term water security.

“Further to the previously allocated funding the Government of Zimbabwe had again approved an allocation of US$1 500 000 equivalent ZiG to support the City of Bulawayo.

“The funding had been proposed to complement the scope reduction in the Umzingwane and Inyankuni ongoing projects, the rehabilitation of Batemen filters and dosing equipment at Ncema, Criterion by pass and the Mtshabezi-Umzingwane interlinking pipeline,” reads part of the report.

According to the report, the city lost 46 percent of the treated water it produced due to water leaks and bursts as well as commercial losses from billing inaccuracies. The local authority said US$1,1 million is needed for the project.

The proportion of physical losses to apparent losses was 33 percent and 13 percent respectively. The report further notes that 1 000 non-functional meters are earmarked for replacement this year.

The city had a total of 136 156 connections and 23 118 (17 percent) meters were reported to be non-functional due to several reasons such as broken meters and digits mis-aligned with an estimated US$200 000.

Therefore, the council said the focus would also be aligned to the metering of major consumers and industry including commerce.

On the rehabilitation of the Umzingwane Dam booster pump station including transformer upgrade to increase delivery of water from the current 125ML/day to 175ML/day, the Bulawayo Technical Committee on Water Supply and Sanitation which was set up by Government late last year said the contractor Pump Systems Africa was paid the advance payment of US$257 465,95 payable in ZIG on 15 May.

The estimated project cost for the Mtshabezi – Umzingwane interlinking Pipeline was US$130 000 and preliminary designs are complete and ready for tendering.

The Inyankuni project involved the supply, installation and commissioning of two pump sets and accessories at a contract price of US$269 372,78. The contractor had been paid advance payment.

The rehabilitation of Ncema Water Treatment Works Clarifiers had been awarded to Anolle castings and was planned to take 12 to 16 Weeks at an estimated cost of US$20,000. The works were expected to start first week of June 2024.