The government of Zimbabwe has put up an international bid inviting qualified and experienced consultants to submit their proposals for the implementation of the Kunzvi-Musami-Harare Water Project.
The bidding notice from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement confirmed this stating that the tenders are invited for the project that is set to ease water shortage in Zimbabwe. “One can obtain the documents to the project for a non-refundable fee of US $10 at the ministry’s head office,” it said.
The former Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri had earlier stated that before construction of the dam, an Environmental Impact Assessment would be done.
Kunzvi dam
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Construction of the Kunzvi Dam that is expected to end the water woes will be constructed at the confluence of the Nora and Nyaguwe rivers in Goromonzi district and falls in a different catchment area from Chivero, Manyame, Seke and Harava dams that draw their water from the Manyame River.
The project that will be constructed by Chinese firm, Sino-Hydro will be located about 70 km north-east of the city under a build, operate and transfer arrangement and is expected to produce 250,000 cubic meters of water for the city daily.
The dam is estimated to cost US $400m to construct but other major works such as laying a pipeline and building a new waterworks will push the price to US $680m. As early as the 1990’s, the government had intended to build the dam but financial challenges stalled the project.
Harare water woes
Harare serves 2.5 million residents water and an additional 2 million residents from neighboring town requiring 1200 megalitres a day. The 4 reservoirs Harava Dam, Seke Dam, Lake Chivero and Lake Manyam located on the Manyame River greatly suffer from pollution.
Harare city officials earlier confirmed that Harare’s water supply dam, Lake Chivero is left with limited 18 months’ supply. This is brought by the siltation, droughts and algae that has also affected the water quality. Water rationing was introduced in order to manage the available resources.
