BULAWAYO - In his new years message the mayor of the city of Bulawayo, Councillor Thaba Moyo painted a gloomy picture of the citys water supply situation.According to the mayor, during the 2009/2010 rain season, the citys dams received insignificant inflows resulting in major supply challenges for the city. The citys four major supply dams, Insiza, Inyankuni, Lower Ncema and Umzingwane have currently a combined total capacity of 40.69 per cent compared to 52 per cent during the same period last year. The citys other supplier, Upper Ncema, was decommissioned in October last month after it had dropped to only 2,22 per cent.
From the mayors message it is crystal clear that if the dams catchment area does not receive good rains this season, the water situation will be dire.
Many people in Bulawayo are beginning to question the governments attitude with regards to the citys perennial water woes. Addressing Bulawayo city councillors in December last year, the Minister of Local Government Ignatius Chombo down played the Bulawayo water situation and accused the councillors of blowing the problems out of proportion.
The moment you hear a whole cabinet minister declaring that the water situation is normal when the city is in fact under siege, you can see its business as usual in government. If it had been Harare that was facing the water crisis I am sure action would have been taken long ago, said Paul Siwela, the President of Zapu Federation.
While the rest of the country is looking forward to improved economy as the inclusive government enters its third year, Bulawayo might as well forget about such opportunities as long as the water crisis remains in place.
Who wants to invest in a city where there is no water? asked Ruth Labode, the Matabeleland Chamber of Industries President.
As a short term measure to address the citys precarious water situation the Ministry of water Resources and Development which is headed by Sipepa Nkomo has now started laying pipes to link Mtshabezi dam and Umzingwane dam.
This project is expected to be completed within the next six months. This is a temporary project which will go a long way in alleviating the water shortages while resources for Bulawayos lasting water solution, the Matabeleland Zambezi water project are being mobilized, said the mayor.
As a result of the water woes, the city has been experiencing stringent water rationing. Households in the high-density suburbs are allowed 350l of water per day while those in the low density suburbs are allowed an allocation of 400l and industries are restricted to use 75 per cent of an average six month consumption.
Post published in: News