Mutapa Gold commissions US$3m water project to secure Freda Rebecca and Bindura supply
The Masembura pipeline will provide additional water to Freda Rebecca Gold Mine and Bindura Municipality, addressing a supply risk that threatened both mining operations and the wider town
Zimbabwean mining company Mutapa Gold Resources is addressing water challenges at its Freda Rebecca Gold Mine and in the fast-growing mining town of Bindura following the commissioning of a US$3 million water infrastructure project.
The Masembura Water Pipeline Project was commissioned on September 21, 2026, through a partnership between Mutapa Gold Resources, which owns Freda Rebecca, and Bindura Municipality.
The project includes a 500m³ balancing tank, an 18km pipeline supplying Freda Rebecca and a 22.1km pipeline connecting to the Bindura Municipality Water Treatment Plant. ZINWA Enterprises Limited was responsible for the project’s implementation.
Mutapa Gold Resources CEO Patrick Maseva-Shayawabaya said the project was driven by concerns over water availability after Mwenje Dam, one of the sources supplying the area, fell to 36% capacity.
“The reason why we ran around in April last year when Mwenje Dam was 36% was because we realised that if we ran out of water in Mwenje, we would actually close the plant,” said Maseva-Shayawabaya.
“Without water, you can’t run a gold processing plant.”
He added that the new infrastructure means that water security is no longer an immediate concern for either the mine or Bindura town.
The system uses a pump station to move water into the 500m³ balancing tank, from where it is gravity-fed towards Freda Rebecca and the municipal water treatment plant.
The pipeline has a stated transmission capacity of 700m³ per hour and includes an 800kVA standby generator to keep the pumping system operating during power interruptions. The glass-reinforced plastic pipeline is designed for a service life of at least 50 years.
Mutapa Gold Resources funded 60% of the project, with Bindura Municipality contributing the remaining 40%.
Speaking at the commissioning, Mashonaland Central Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Christopher Magomo described the project as a significant investment for the province and Bindura.
He said the government would be looking to see improved water availability for residents, while highlighting the partnership between the mining company and the local authority.
“We’ll be delighted if we see much more hours of water in our taps in Bindura,” Magomo said.
“Water is life, and this project is a huge relief for Bindura.”
