The Sunday News
Sukoluhle Ndlovu, Midlands Correspondent
THE Gweru City Council has resolved to drill 20 boreholes across the city to alleviate water challenges faced by residents following the introduction of a water rationing regime, an official has said.
The City of Gweru has been experiencing intermittent water shortages owing to power outages at Gwenhoro Dam which is the city’s main water source.
Recently, a service level benchmark review revealed that the city is only left with six months water supplies.
In an interview, Gweru Mayor Councillor Josiah Makombe, said the local authority is carrying out surveys on where the boreholes could be drilled.
“Now that we have introduced water rationing, as council, we agreed that we need to come up with measures to cushion residents during water rationing, and one of the measures include drilling 20 boreholes throughout the city,” he said.
Clr Makombe said the boreholes would be using electric power to pump water and be linked to the municipality’s water system.
“The boreholes we want to drill will be connected to the city’s water infrastructure and they will use electricity to pump water. The pumped water will then be channelled through water pipes to various suburbs so that residents do not run out of water,” he said.
He said the council has courted partners for the project.
“We are working very hard together with our partners to make this project a success and we hope it will go a long way in alleviating water challenges that Gweru residents have been experiencing for years,” he said.
He appealed to stakeholders and well-wishers to help the local authority in the installation of pumps at Amapongokwe Dam to augment water supplies.
“We are currently looking for stakeholders to assist the municipality with about $6 million to $10 million to install pumps at Amapongokwe to improve water supply in the city as Gwenhoro Dam is fast running out of water,” he said.
@sukusinini
