End to City’s Water Woes in Sight as Kunzvi Dam Construction Begins
Updated: Oct 18, 2021
Senior Reporter
Harare’s water woes may soon be a thing of the past following the commencement of construction work of Kunzvi Dam last month. China Nanchang, who was recently awarded the tender for the construction of Kunzvi Dam, moved on-site last week after a site handover. The project is projected to cost over $108 million and is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.
Kunzvi Dam has been touted over the years as a panacea to Harare’s ongoing water crisis. Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) chief executive officer, Engineer Taurayi Maurikira was recently quoted by a weekly publication saying that a water reservoir will be constructed at Kunzvi Dam while a new water treatment plant will be constructed east of the capital to service suburbs that have gone without water for years. Water from the dam will also serve parts of Chitungwiza.
“The dam will then become an additional source of raw water for Harare, supplying mainly the eastern suburbs that have gone for many years without water because the city’s current water treatment infrastructure can no longer meet demand.
“Construction of the dam has started in earnest as the contractor is now on the ground following the award of the contract and the subsequent site handover to the contractor,” said Engineer Murikira.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana has also confirmed the commencement of the project saying the Kunzvi Dam project is morphing into reality.
“The project is meant to resolve Harare, Ruwa and Chitungwiza water problems. Preliminary work on the dam has now started and the dam is expected to be ready in 39 months. This year, site establishment and profiling will be completed,” said Mangwana.
The construction of Kunzvi Dam is expected to stabilise water supplies in Harare as the current raw water source - Lake Chivero - has been deemed inadequate due to Harare’s significantly increased population size. Treatment of the water at Lake Chivero has also been cited as being expensive due to high contamination.