Source: Joint effort enhances Bindura water security – herald
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
FREDA Rebecca Gold Mine and Bindura Municipality are laying a US$3 million Masembura Pipeline Project in a development poised to transform water security for both the mine and the town of Bindura.
The strategic water infrastructure will draw water directly from Masembura Dam and deliver it through a 22-kilometre pipeline made with modern glass-reinforced plastic.
The material, which has a lifespan of at least 50 years, eliminates the need for major repairs over its service life.
The project is being implemented by ZINW Enterprises, a subsidiary of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority.
Funding is shared between the partners, with Freda Rebecca contributing 60 percent and Bindura Municipality 40 percent.
Designed to serve both industrial and municipal needs, the pipeline will be capable of transmitting 700 cubic metres of water per hour, enough to comfortably cover the annual allocations for both the mine and the town.
It will be supported by an 800kVA standby generator and a 500-cubic-metre balancing tank to ensure an uninterrupted supply.
The pipeline will comprise three segments, a 15km main line of 500mm diameter leading to the tee-off point, a 3km line with a 350mm diameter feeding Freda Rebecca’s plant and a 4km line with a 300mm diameter supplying Bindura Municipality Water Works.
Beyond boosting industrial production at the mine, the pipeline will enhance urban water security for Bindura residents.
During construction, the project will create 80 local jobs.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo hailed the project as a milestone in Zimbabwe’s journey towards sustainable development, resilient infrastructure, and climate change adaptation.
“Climate change has put immense pressure on our traditional water sources, with the Mazowe River experiencing alarmingly low levels in recent years,” said Minister Magomo.
“This pipeline is a proactive and strategic response, redirecting water from a sustainable source to areas of high demand. It is more than infrastructure, it is a lifeline.”
The project aligns with national priorities under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1, particularly in the water, sanitation, infrastructure and utilities clusters.
Minister Magomo said it will not only ensure sustainable water access for urban and industrial use, but also support agricultural productivity and strengthen Bindura’s capacity to attract investment.
Bindura North MP and ZANU PF Politburo member Cde Kenneth Musanhi welcomed the project, describing it as a continuation of the vision he once shared as a shareholder at Freda Rebecca.
“Thank you for supporting the community. As a legislator, I had to install solar-powered boreholes and tanks to assist people during shortages, but this project will lessen the burden,” he said.
Bindura South MP Remigio Matangira said the pipeline was a dream come true.
“The water crisis in Bindura is not new. The Masembura pipeline was first mooted in 1992. Bindura is the goose that lays the eggs, and we want communities to benefit from their natural resources. Freda Rebecca has done it,” he said.
Chief Musana also expressed gratitude, noting that the project would help curb water-borne diseases in the community.
With a projected service life of half a century, the Masembura Pipeline Project is being celebrated as a model of smart engineering, partnership and long-term sustainability.
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