The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
GOVERNMENT has tasked a 20-member Bulawayo Water Technical Committee to investigate the water situation at the city’s three supply dams in order to gather scientific findings that will help them make a decision grounded on facts on the water situation in Bulawayo.
With the city’s supply dams receiving subdued inflows during the past rain season due to the effects of El Nino characterised by below normal rainfall, the city Mayor Senator David Coltart has amplified calls for the city to be declared a water crises area.
Speaking soon after meeting the 20-member Bulawayo Water Technical Committee in Bulawayo on Wednesday, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr Anxious Masuka said he has tasked the committee to gather scientific information about the water situation at the city’s three supply dams, namely Mtshabezi, Inyankuni and Insiza.
“As we know that the biggest challenge is that this is an El Nino year so the inflows into the major dams in Bulawayo has been very limited to the extent that there are only three major sources of raw water for Bulawayo. These are Mtshabezi, Insiza and Inyankuni. We have tasked the technical committee to look at these water supply dams to see if we have enough water to take us to the next rainy season.
“They will be doing an urgent exercise for that. It is not people wishing to have a crises declared but it is a factual scientific approach. The dams are known, their capacities are known, the conveyancing is known so we need to be able to get factual information regarding what quantities of water we have, evaporation that is likely to take place, the conveyancing and all so that we know if we have enough water to last us until the next rainy season. This is being done in order to inform us so that we make a decision that is grounded on facts,” said Dr Masuka.
He said what is Fortunate is that the El Nino is rapidly waning and it is predicted that by about April/May the country will be in a neutral phase looking forward to an even normal rainy season next year meaning that the crises will be probably short lived.
The minister also tasked the committee to carry out other short to medium term interventions that will improve water supply in the city.
“We have also requested them to refocus and double their efforts at ensuring that the Nyamandlovu aquifer is able to give us the maximum that it was designed for. Currently 12 mega litres per day is being delivered and we think that the minimum ought to be 16 megalitres. As for the vandalism that is taking place there, we are going to be activating our state security apparatus to ensure that that is nabbed in the bud.
“As Government, we are looking at the lack Gwayi Shangani which we think is the long term supply guarantee for Bulawayo and that 220 megalitres a day will be able to guarantee Bulawayo with 80 years of water supply. Finally, as a complimentary emergency aspect we need to look at enhanced borehole drilling. Eighty-three sites have been found, 22 have been drilled 15 of which have all been solarised for use by residents. We have also said this has to be accelerated so that within two months or so they are fully operational.
Bulawayo Mayor Senator David Coltart said as residents they appreciate the Minister demonstrating concern about the crises that the city has as well as the unity of purpose that has been demonstrated through the committee.
“We have been asking that the City be declared a water shortage area and the minister listened very closely to that and his directive to the technical committee is to look at the three sources of water to ascertain on a scientific basis how much water there is and how long it will last so that it will then inform the minister and Government regarding the declaration of a water shortage area. We look forward to the committee reporting back urgently with that technical scientific information so that we know it accurately how long our supply source will work,” said Sen Coltart.
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