Zinwa in massive dam construction

are grappling with imminent water short supplies due to changing weather patterns.
The world is recording higher temperatures in summer, prolonged dry spells and acute winters where sub-zero temperatures are common. These adverse conditions have impacted on clean/fresh water availability.

Zinwa is paying keen attention to these changes and is always looking for ways to keep Zimbabwe’s growing population, industrial expansion and ever growing agriculture supplied with adequate water supplies.
In keeping with its mandate to advise Government on water resources planning, management and development it has developed water harvesting technologies.

The water authority has embarked on a strategic and sustainable dam construction projects across the country.
These dams have been prioritised according to needs and considering their economic and social impact to the communities where they are constructed.
The dam constructions are solidly founded on the growing population. Zimbabwe’s population has more than doubled in the last three decades.

However, water resources particularly in urban areas and arid farming regions has not expended at the same rate.
Harare has grown from a town to a city in terms of population and infrastructure development.
The city is estimated to have above two million people living within its boundaries.

Ironically, the city has continued to rely on Lake Chivero that was built in the 1950s for its water supplies.
To address this problem, Zinwa has designed new dams to supply water to the metropolitan province.
These include the massive Kunzwi Dam which when completed will guarantee the province adequate water supplies for domestic, industrial and agricultural uses.
The plans to improve water supply and meet the burgeoning demand are not limited to Harare alone.

The water authority has other ongoing projects across the country. These include Mtshabezi, Gwayi-Shangaani and Bubi dams in Matabeleland regions, Tokwe-Murkosi in Masvingo province and Matezva in Bikita among others.
These dams are geographically spaced as they are expected to become important pillars spurring economic growth throughout the country.
They will allow the greening of the arid southern provinces, increase agricultural and industrial production in the northern provinces and generally guarantee adequate domestic supplies for the burgeoning population which may top 16 million next year.

Earlier in the past decades the water authority completed the construction of the massive Osborne dam in Mutare.
The dam has not only secured water supplies to the eastern border city of Mutare but completely altered the farming initiatives in surrounding areas.
These dams are at different stages of construction and some are lagging behind schedule.

This has been occasioned by the adverse economic conditions the country went through in the last decade.
These were compounded by European Union and United States economic sanctions imposed since 2003.
Zinwa has the best human resources in planning and construction of dams with a fully-fledged department under its ambit.

However, rising costs of dam construction now call for innovative and collaborative approaches with the private capital.
To that end, the water authority is getting in some strategic partnerships to complete some of its ongoing projects.
Water harvesting has been further necessitated by the fast changing world weather patterns.

Hot regions are increasingly becoming hotter while colder climates are recording ever-dropping temperatures.
Droughts and floods are becoming more frequent across the globe. Water harvesting for its part gives opportunities to manipulate the erratic weather patterns to the advantage of humans.
Thus the new dams would likely increase agricultural production as farmers could easily engage in double seasoning.

They can farm both in winter using irrigation and summer using the natural rains.
This will ultimately improve food insecurity, which is fast becoming a global threat as more regions are failing to produce adequate cereals.
Zimbabwe’s water needs are not limited to agriculture and domestic consumption.

The country growing mining sectors and industry also require increased water supplies.
In any event, water is one of the crucial requirements for nay development to take place. Water is needed for construction, industrial production and mining activities.

Zinwa would, therefore, continue taming the wild rivers into dams and other water reservoirs.
The activities may take time but the water authority remains committed to delivering on its mandate: Managing and developing water resources for the country.

This water column is published weekly by Zimbabwe National Water Authority.

• We welcome any questions and suggestion and these can be channelled to Zinwa PR Department, 12th Floor, Old Mutual Centre, corner Third Street and Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 04-797604/5; 797610-3.