Khumbulani Maphosa
Bulawayo’s water crisis has seen a hopeful turn as the city’s dam levels have surpassed last year’s figures for the first time in 2025. This development was shared by Mayor David Coltart on X (formerly Twitter), bringing optimism to the residents, who have been facing water shortages.
The City of Bulawayo’s recent Dam Watch flyer details that the collective capacity of the operational dams has now reached 44.68%, up from 43.20% on February 17, 2024. This increase is attributed to significant inflows into key reservoirs. Mshabezi Dam, despite a slight decrease from 73.49% last year, holds a solid 72.48% capacity. Umzingwane Dam has increased dramatically to 50.03% from 17.20% the year before, and Insiza-Mayfair is currently at 50.04%, down from 58.92% but still contributing to the overall positive trend.
In his X post, Mayor Coltart acknowledged the progress while warning against complacency. He noted that some dams, notably Mshabezi, Umzingwane, and Insiza, have received significant water inflows. However, he emphasized the need for continued rainfall, stating, “We aren’t out of the woods yet and need these rains to continue through to the end of March.”
Looking forward, Mayor Coltart hinted at potential adjustments in the city’s water management strategy. He mentioned that the city council would review the water shedding program in the coming weeks but cautioned that it was premature to make changes. “We will in the coming weeks review the water shedding program but it remains too soon to change anything until we know we have got sufficient water to get us through,” he stated.
The flyer also reported that the overall increase in dam capacity this season is 21.29%, reflecting the positive impact of the rains. However, challenges persist, as shown by the necessity to open Upper Ncema dam gates to aid Lower Ncema, which had fallen to a critical 9.26% capacity.
