Massive Kunzvi Pipeline Project Gains Speed, Promises Water Security

HARARE – Construction of the Kunzvi-Harare water pipeline has officially begun, marking a major breakthrough in efforts to end Harare’s decades-long water crisis.

The 48-kilometre pipeline will carry raw water from Kunzvi Dam to Donnybrook Water Treatment Plant in eastern Harare, easing a supply deficit that has burdened the capital for more than 20 years.

Once completed, the pipeline will deliver up to 240 megalitres of water daily, helping close the gap between Harare’s current supply of 400 megalitres and its estimated demand of 800 megalitres.

The project forms part of the Harare East Water Augmentation Programme, which had stalled for years due to financial constraints.

Local contractor Redan Bulk is executing the project under a US$52 million tender awarded by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).

Construction is expected to take two years, aligning with the completion of Kunzvi Dam, which is scheduled to begin impounding water during the upcoming rainy season.

The pipeline will feature a 1.4-metre glass reinforced polyester (GRP) pipe and two booster pump stations.

GRP pipes are lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and cost-effective, making them ideal for large-scale water conveyance.

Currently, 30 workers are on site, with the number expected to rise to 250 as construction gains momentum.

Zinwa resident engineer Johanne Mwase said the pipeline would not only boost Harare’s water supply but also benefit surrounding communities.

“The Kunzvi-Harare pipeline is a raw water pipeline to supply Harare. It stretches 48km from Kunzvi Dam to Donnybrook Water Treatment Plant, with two booster stations along the way.

“We will also have offtakes for Juru Growth Point and farmers along the corridor to help create a greenbelt from Kunzvi to Harare,” he said.

Mwase added that once the dam begins impounding water, the pipeline is expected to start conveying water to Harare next year.

“This will go a long way in alleviating Harare’s perennial water challenges,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the project was on track for completion by the end of next year, provided funding remains consistent.

“We are glad that Redan Bulk, a local company, is proving capable of delivering such a massive infrastructure project.

“They are using state-of-the-art equipment, including a powerful trencher that has a minimum production capacity of 500 metres a day.

“In fact, our other activities are struggling to keep up with the speed of the excavation.”

Redan Bulk projects manager Engineer Lucio Chayeruka said the success of the project depends on timely release of Treasury funds.

“The timeline for completion is supposed to align with the completion of the dam and the release of Treasury funds, which are directly financing the project.

“There is no external funding. Our trenches are three metres deep and three metres wide, and this is one of the biggest water conveyance projects currently underway in Zimbabwe,” he said.

He noted that the new pipeline and treatment plant would provide a clean water source outside the heavily polluted Manyame catchment area.

“As the contractor, we are introducing innovative methodologies in project execution.

“We operate the only trenching equipment in the country capable of achieving outputs of at least 700 metres per day,” said Engineer Lucio Chayeruka.

According to Sunday Mail, the Kunzvi Dam project was first conceived in the 1990s as a strategic alternative to Lake Chivero and Lake Manyame, which have long supplied Harare but are now heavily polluted and insufficient for the city’s growing population.

Located on the Nyagui River, a tributary of the Mazowe River, Kunzvi Dam sits about 67 kilometres northeast of Harare.

Once complete, it will hold approximately 158 million cubic metres of water, supporting both domestic consumption and irrigation along the Harare-Goromonzi corridor.

Construction of the dam began in 2021 and has made steady progress, with the dam wall nearing completion.

The combined infrastructure is expected to transform water access in Harare and surrounding areas, offering long-term relief and development opportunities.