The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
BULAWAYO residents are set for an early Christmas cheer as the local authority has revealed that it is working on modalities of easing the water shedding schedule during the festive season.
The city is implementing a 72-hour water shedding schedule with council laying the blame on the power outages being experienced at its pumping stations which had resulted in their reservoirs failing to fill to capacity.
In interview yesterday, the city’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mlandu Ncube said plans were at an advanced stage to ensure that water shedding is shelved during the festive season.
“Although the resolution has not been endorsed what I can confirm is that as per tradition we will be shelving water shedding for the festive season, so that our residents do not have the added burden of looking for water at a time they are supposed to be merry with their families.
“We are just not looking at water, in terms of reprieve but we are working on public lighting around the city, we want to ensure that by the festive period we would have lit up the better part of the city,” said Clr Ncube.
He, however, called on residents not to abuse the reprieve to overuse water as this would impact on them negatively which could see the local authority being forced to enforce a more stringent water shedding regime after the festive season.
Bulawayo residents queue to fetch water from a borehole in this file photo
“Even with us temporarily lifting this water shedding there is a need for residents not to forget the importance of controlling daily consumption because if we allow the consumption to increase to unprecedented levels, we will all be on the losing side.
“What I must also remind residents is that yes we are lifting up water shedding but the water rationing schedule is still in our plans hence those who overuse water will be penalised,” said Clr Ncube.
Commenting on the same issue, BCC corporate communications manager Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said engineers were still monitoring the situation so as to give the necessary guidance.
“The city is monitoring the water situation and it is rather early to make any meaningful comments regarding the festive season,” said Mrs Mpofu.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube has revealed that the local authority could soon be forced to decommission one of its major supply dams- Umzingwane- due to its reduced water levels.
Speaking during a water and service delivery indaba held the Large City Hall on Thursday, Eng Ncube said Umzingwane Dam is sitting at 6,7 percent of its overall capacity.
“Our supply dams need to get significant inflows so that we increase our capacity of supplying water to the entire city without the need of water shedding. As it stands we risk having to decommission Umzingwane because of its levels, if we don’t get any inflows.
“Further, we are losing 40 percent of the city’s water due to non-revenue water losses. This is quite huge, as 60 percent is only finding its way to consumers.
The major consumers are residents, followed by commerce, industry, then institutions and smaller towns such as Esigodini,” he said.
