Councillor David Coltart Highlights Impact of Illegal Mining on Water Supply
Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor David Coltart, has highlighted the detrimental impact of illegal gold mining on the city’s water resources, particularly obstructing the flow of rainwater into the Umzingwane Dam. Speaking during his State of the City address at Nkulumane Hall in Ward 22 on Sunday, Coltart expressed his frustration with the situation, stating that despite recent heavy rainfall, the water levels in the city’s dams had only risen by a mere 4%.
“We need to address the water crisis urgently. Even with the rain we have had over the past few months, our dams have only increased by 4%. As of yesterday, the water levels in all our dams were still at 28%,” Coltart remarked.
He went on to describe his visit to Mzingwane Dam last Saturday, where he observed that despite the rain, no streams were flowing, attributing this to illegal gold panning activities that have disrupted the river systems.
Coltart also provided an update on the city’s plans to address the long-standing water shortage. He mentioned a proposal to construct a dam that had been suggested back in the 1990s and emphasized the importance of building the Glass Block Dam.
“We’re now focused on the Glass Block Dam project. I recently visited the African Development Bank in Morocco, where we held productive discussions on raising the US$99.9 million needed for the project,” he explained.
In addition to the dam, the city is planning a 32km pipeline from Glass Block to the Ncema station, which Coltart believes will gradually improve the water situation over the next two years.
He concluded by urging patience, noting that while the Gwayi-Shangani project is a long-term solution, the Glass Block Dam offers a more immediate but affordable alternative.
