New Glass Block Dam: A Gift and a Curse for Bulawa...

New Glass Block Dam: A Gift and a Curse for Bulawayo

Oscar J Jeke - Zim Now Reporter

Bulawayo’s long-running water crisis could see partial relief through the proposed construction of the Glass Block Dam in the Umzingwane Catchment area. However, while the project promises to boost water security, a new parliamentary report warns that the cost of water under the proposed deal could triple, placing an unsustainable burden on already struggling residents.

The US$126 million dam, promoted by a private consortium led by JR Goddard, Sesani Project Managers, and financial advisors Genesis Global Finance, is being structured under a Build-Operate-Transfer model. Under this arrangement, the consortium will build and operate the dam for 25 years, after which ownership will be transferred. Although Bulawayo will own the dam wall, the dam itself will belong to ZINWA under the Water Act.

Funding is reportedly being secured from the African Development Bank and Afreximbank, after the United States’ International Development Finance Corporation declined to support the project, citing its policy of not funding projects in Zimbabwe. According to a joint committee of Parliament that reviewed the proposal, water from Glass Block could cost up to US$0.90 per megalitre almost three times the US$0.33 currently charged by ZINWA.

“The astronomical charge of water proposed by the Glass Block consortium of US$0.90 per megalitre will have a catastrophic impact on the water billing system of Bulawayo, causing severe overcharges on the end users,” reads the parliamentary report. While developers are said to be considering a reduction to US$0.50, legislators insist the figure is still far too high for ordinary households.

“It is imperative that the arrangement of the water service charge be significantly revised before making any headway towards giving the project the green light. Water is a basic human right and should not be commercialised in any way whatsoever to the detriment of its access by the citizenry,” the MPs said.

The project presents a pragmatic option in a country struggling to fund major infrastructure directly. Yet, as the report outlines, BOT projects often come with a catch: developers must recover their investment within a defined timeframe, which drives up end-user costs—even for essential services like water.

The Glass Block Dam has been proposed as a quicker and more financially flexible alternative to the stalled Gwayi-Shangani project, which had long been touted as the ultimate solution to Bulawayo’s water woes. But Gwayi-Shangani is years behind schedule, requiring a further US$84 million to complete the dam wall and US$684 million to lay the 252-kilometre pipeline needed to deliver water to the city.

With limited state funds and prolonged delays at Gwayi-Shangani, city authorities and national planners see Glass Block as a more immediate fix. “The Glass Block Dam is presumed to ease pressure from the government coffers and give the government breathing space to focus on the demanding Gwayi-Shangani Project,” the report states.

However, while the private dam may be faster, the trade-off in affordability could leave residents caught between dry taps and unaffordable water. Bulawayo is currently facing one of its worst water crises in decades. Three of its six main supply dams Umzingwane, Upper Ncema, and Lower Ncema have dried up. Decommissioned dams, aging infrastructure, a 49% rate of water loss through leaks, and growing urban demand have compounded the city’s woes.

Frequent power outages, erratic rainfall patterns linked to climate change, and continued infrastructure vandalism have further complicated water treatment and delivery. The city has introduced water shedding measures, leaving some suburbs without water for days at a time. Rehabilitation efforts are ongoing, but funding remains a major obstacle.

While the city has turned to academic and technical partnerships to find sustainable solutions, many of the proposed interventions require capital. Community engagement has helped raise awareness, but vandalism and public scepticism remain hurdles.

The Glass Block Dam could secure Bulawayo’s water needs through to 2040 if implemented. But residents will have to weigh the promise of a stable water supply against the economic cost of accessing it.