The Sunday News
Wayne Ncube, Sunday Business Reporter
THE Association of Business in Zimbabwe (ABUZ) has warned that manufacturing companies based in Bulawayo will soon be forced to shut down or scale down production owing to the ongoing water shortages bedevilling the city.
Water supplies to the city’s industries has of late been unreliable with some firms blaming council on its alleged failure to provide the key input for most companies.
The latest to raise concern was agro-processor United Refineries Limited (URL), which two weeks ago announced that it was temporarily shutting down due to lack of water.
According to ABUZ, a collective of business and industry leaders, the city’s water crisis has reached a breaking point that would put industry in limbo. ABUZ chief executive officer Mr Victor Nyoni said business was engaging council to find a lasting solution.
“We have engaged with the business and industries in Bulawayo to look at how businesses will survive this water scarcity.
“Looking at the short-term measure set to keep industries open, ABUZ has conducted community governance with the Bulawayo City Council on finding new technologies to use on water management,” said Mr Nyoni.
He said businesses are also being encouraged to start water harvesting where such strategies could see the survival of industries.
“Our goal is to tread carefully on how we can assist industries not to shut down or lower production because of the water crisis.
“Working with BCC, we are looking at harvesting rain water and also to recycle the sewer water efficiently, to help on minimise water scarcity,” said Mr Nyoni.
He said investment in the drilling of boreholes would ensure that industries survive in the long run.
“ABUZ is also looking at how businesses can invest in boreholes so as to find alternative sources of water.
“An economic down turn can be anticipated if there are long term measures that are set, weeks ago the United Refineries Limited closed shop due to water crisis and if the short-term measures are not implemented, we may look at more Bulawayo industries following suit,” said Mr Nyoni.
