Ageing Pumps Impede Bulawayo's Water Supply

Ageing Pumps Impede Bulawayo’s Water Supply, but Upgrades Offer Hope

The ageing infrastructure at the Mzingwane water works has long been a thorn in the side of Bulawayo’s water woes, but a new project aims to breathe life into the ailing system and improve water delivery for the city’s residents.

During a tour of the Mzingwane and Inyankuni project sites on Friday, the Project Manager for Pump Systems Africa, Leon Sayi, the contractor tasked with the upgrades, provided a sobering assessment of the current state of the pumps at the Mzingwane water works.

“These pumps were installed in 1957, and some of them are very, very old. It’s unbelievable that they are still running at this time, though the efficiency has gone down,” Sayi said.

The dire condition of the pumps has been a constant challenge for the city of Bulawayo, as the Water Committee and City Council have struggled to maintain a reliable water supply for the region.

“As we all know, the city of Zimbabwe has been facing challenges over the past few years,” Sayi acknowledged.

He added, “The city of Bulawayo has been trying to mitigate some of those challenges, but it’s been an uphill battle.”

The project, which is being undertaken in partnership with the Bulawayo Water Technical Committee and the Government of Zimbabwe, aims to address these longstanding issues by replacing the old pumps, the suction and discharge fittings, and installing flow monitoring systems.

“We’re going to be replacing the pumps, we’re going to be replacing the suction and the discharge fittings, and we’re also going to be installing flow monitoring systems,” Sayi explained.

These upgrades are crucial, as the current lack of data on water flow and leakages has hampered the city’s ability to effectively manage its water resources.

“There’s an issue of leakages or there’s an issue of not having a great quantity of water that is going to the city because of many aspects that need to be worked on, including the pipeline,” Sayi said.

The project’s holistic approach, however, extends beyond just the Umzingwane water works. Sayi emphasised the importance of addressing the entire water distribution system, from the Nketa and Fenya reservoirs to the city of Bulawayo itself.

“This whole water system is a series, it’s like a chain,” Sayi said. “It comes from going to this pump station, going to Nketa, going to Fenya, then it goes to the city of Bulawayo. As we all know, the famous statement is that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”

Sayi noted that the investment by the Government of Zimbabwe in this project would be well-spent, as the upgrades to the water infrastructure would have a significant impact on the lives of Bulawayo’s residents.

“If the system is combined, it will help assist it and it will be more efficient, and it will be an investment for what will be invested by the government of Zimbabwe, will be realised quickly and we will have a great impact on the people of Bulawayo,” Sayi said.

However, the project’s success will also depend on the continued support and cooperation of the city’s stakeholders, including the Bulawayo Water Technical Committee and the City Council.

Sayi appealed for additional resources, including hard currency, to ensure the project’s successful completion and the long-term sustainability of Bulawayo’s water infrastructure.

“It is not just Bulawayo, it’s also the people of Zimbabwe,” Sayi said, emphasising the far-reaching impact of the project.

With the upgrades underway, the city of Bulawayo and its residents can look forward to a future with a more reliable and efficient water supply, a vital step in addressing the region’s long standing water challenges.