Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo , Senior Zimpapers Reporter
THE Government has challenged the Bulawayo City Council’s (BCC) water rationing programme, suggesting the local authority is not being transparent about water distribution. Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and
Rural Development Dr Anxious Masuku , questioned why the city is pumping a significant volume of water daily while most residents only have access to it two days a week.
The Minister’s remarks follow suspicions that some areas of the city are receiving uninterrupted water supply.
Dr Masuka raised these concerns during a recent tour of the Nyamandlovu aquifer site, where he assessed progress by the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) in securing transformer targets and reviewed water availability in the city.
“You are pumping 90 to 100 megalitres per day against a maximum demand of 165 megalitres, which is about two-thirds of the required supply, yet residents are only getting water for two days a week.
“This suggests mismanagement of water distribution and favouritism towards certain consumers. It means there are people enjoying a 24-hour water supply all year round, while others receive water for just two days a week,” said Dr Masuka, responding to a presentation by the city’s director of engineering and sanitation, Engineer Sikhumbuzo Ncube, who was accompanied by Future Water Supplies chairperson, Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu.
Based on the council’s presentation, the minister said that technically, Bulawayo does not have a water shortage, but rather faces challenges with water conveyance.
His comments come against a backdrop of concerns from councillors about the high levels of non-revenue water lost in the city’s reticulation system.
According to the latest statistics, the council is losing nearly 50 percent of its water as non-revenue water (NRW) — water that is pumped or produced but subsequently lost or unaccounted for in the system.
“The percentage of non-revenue water is very high. Communication systems should be improved, especially in providing feedback to residents and councillors,” said Dr Masuka.
Councillor Mxolisi Mahlangu, cited in the latest council minutes, said the system should be able to track progress once a report is made and provide information regarding delays in water supply restoration after water shedding or pipe repairs.
Councillor Felix Madzana also raised concerns that priority was being given to mainline water bursts, while smaller feeder pipelines were being overlooked, creating the impression that the council was slow to address water leakages in general. He called for the council to establish timeframes for attending to all faults.
“Some of the delays in attending to faults are due to a shortage of vehicles. The Water and Sanitation Department should be equipped with more vehicles,” said Clr Madzana.
City council’s chairperson of the Future Water Supplies Committee, Clr Ndlovu, said the local authority was not lifting the 130-hour water shedding schedule any time soon, as planning is informed by dam water levels.
“We are not lifting the 130-hour water schedule because we are planning ahead.
“Our dams are at 40 percent capacity, and we are uncertain about rainfall in the coming season,” said Clr Ndlovu.
She added that the council always plans two years in advance and noted that demand for water is higher during the summer months.
Meanwhile, the Bulawayo City Council yesterday updated residents and stakeholders on the current water supply situation, which has resulted in ongoing interruptions and erratic restoration, leaving residents stranded since Monday last week.
“The Flowserve pumping system developed technical challenges in the first week of September and was successfully restored and brought back online on 18 September 2025.
“During the downtime, water supplies to the city were buffered by the Criterion raw water reservoir, which has now reached a critically low level of 0,8m (10,67 percent), limiting abstraction,” reads the statement.
The council also reported that essential maintenance works at Ncema and Fernhill pumping stations have been completed, including the repair of leaks at both sites as part of ongoing efforts to maintain and safeguard the city’s water supply infrastructure.
However, a major leak developed on the Umzingwane booster pumping line on Saturday, September 20, 2025, affecting the restoration of water supplies.
“The Umzingwane Dam is key in boosting water supplies to the city, and this has adversely affected raw water delivery for treatment.
“Repairs are currently ongoing, and teams are working around the clock to restore full functionality,” said the council.
“The city has been working diligently to resolve these continuous breakdowns and restore water supplies to the 130-hour water shedding schedule.”
Measures being taken include accelerated repairs and maintenance of critical infrastructure, erratic restoration of supplies where possible, and the resumption of water bowsering to the most affected areas.
In light of these challenges, the council said restoration of supplies in line with the 130-hour shedding schedule is expected to commence by Friday, September 26, 2025.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and extends its sincere appreciation to all residents for their continued patience, understanding, and co-operation,” said the council.
