The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council will this week construct water kiosks in areas that are worst affected by water shortages as the local authority works on implementing short term solutions to the crisis that has seen residents going for five days without water.
This comes at a time when the Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, has engaged an independent engineering consulting firm to come and assess the water situation in the city.
Local Government and Public Works Minister, Cde July Moyo yesterday revealed that they had engaged Engineer Paul Kruger to assess the water situation in the city so that they get a second opinion on the matter.
“Eng Kruger was in the city last week and he gave me a preliminary report where he said the city’s water supply could last for 13 months, all that is needed is the correct engineering technicalities to be implemented. What we are saying is that every city must have an independent engineering consulting firm. In Harare they had said they require US$29 million to address their water challenges but when the consultant did its works the figure was revised down to US$9,3 million, Gweru wanted US$2,9 million, we have been able to solve the crisis using US$450 000, I am not being sceptical about Bulawayo but I am saying let’s have a second opinion,” said Minister Moyo.
BCC last month stated it requires US$22,75 million or $910 million to implement three medium to long term projects to ease the city’s water crisis. The minister said President Mnangagwa has given the go ahead for the implementation of identified solutions to the water problem in the city and had given the green light to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development to release the funds required.
Meanwhile, the city’s Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube revealed that they had come up with a concept of water kiosks in areas which are most affected by the water crisis. He said the water kiosks would be 15 000 Jojo tanks which would be constantly supplied by water bowsers feeding mainly high lying areas which may go up to the next rainy season without any water supplies. Residents will not be asked to pay for the water from the kiosks.
“We will be constructing about 25 water kiosks around the city mainly in areas that are worst affected by this water crisis. The first of these kiosks will be rolled out this week. One Jojo tank will have multiple taps so as to avoid people crowding there as mandated by the call for social distancing to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Mr Dube.
Bulawayo residents are enduring a five-day water shedding schedule as the city tries to stretch the available water supplies.
