Bulawayo, Mt Darwin water supplies not enough to last 12 months

By a Correspondent
WHILE heavy rains have pounded most parts of the country with 52, 2 percent of the major dams full and spilling, Bulawayo province and Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central remain water insecure with supplies not enough to last them 12 months.
Mutoko in Mashonaland East province is also water insecure.
In a latest update, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) said Bulawayo supply dam levels remain critically low with Umzingwane and Upper Ncema Dams at 12 percent, Lower Ncema 22 percent, Inyankuni 39 percent, Insiza 42 percent and Mtshabezi 74 percent full.
As a result of the low dam levels, Bulawayo City Council introduced a rationing programme where suburbs go for 72 hours, at times more, without water.
Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager, Marjorie Munyonga said:
“Centres that remain water insecure with less than 12 months supplies in their raw water sources constitute 8, 5 percent and include Mt Darwin, Bulawayo, and Mutoko. At proportion, 40, 4 percent of the urban centres, towns, growth points and rural service centres are in the moderate category with their water supply dams holding water sufficient to last periods between 12 and 20, 9 months,” she said.
Munyonga said more than half of the country’s towns, cities, and rural service centres are now water secure with the dams supplying them with raw water now satisfying the 21-month rule.
“Towns, cities, growth points and rural service centres whose raw water sources now satisfy the 21-month rule and holding water capable of lasting for at least 30 months at current demand include Harare, Kadoma, Marondera, Plumtree, Rusape, Bindura, Masvingo, Buhera, Bikita, Murambinda, Mashava, Zvishavane, Mberengwa and Mutawatawa,” she said.
“Other towns whose water supply dams satisfied the 21-month rule but are capable of lasting for a period of under 30 months are Gweru (25, 6 months), Rushinga (26, 5 months), Shurugwi (21,3 months) and Kwekwe (22,3 months).”
Government has accelerated the construction of Lake Gwayi-Shangani, which is expected to be complete by mid-year, as a permanent solution to Bulawayo’s perennial water problems.