derick.khumalo
Zimpapers Reporter
BULAWAYO residents will experience prolonged water supply interruptions over the next 10 days after the City of Bulawayo announced a temporary 120-hour water-shedding programme to allow for critical maintenance works on the city’s raw water pumping system.
The programme, which starts today and runs until 20 July, follows a scheduled shutdown to facilitate maintenance of the Flowserve raw water pumping line, a move that will reduce the volume of raw water delivered to Criterion Water Works by about 50 percent.
The reduction is expected to significantly affect the amount of treated water available for distribution across the city.
In a notice to residents, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube said the council had suspended the current water-shedding schedule and introduced a citywide 120-hour programme to ensure the limited water supplies are shared equitably among consumers.
“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders of citywide water supply interruptions from Friday, 10 July 2026 to Monday, 20 July 2026. The City of Bulawayo will be carrying out a scheduled shutdown to facilitate the maintenance of the Flowserve raw water pumping line,” said Mr Dube.
He said the maintenance works were necessary to improve the reliability of the city’s water supply system despite the inconvenience that residents would face.
“During this period raw water delivered to Criterion Water Works will be reduced by approximately 50 percent and this reduction will significantly affect the quantity of treated water available for distribution across the city.
“To ensure the equitable distribution of the available water supplies, the current water-shedding programme will be temporarily suspended and replaced with a 120-hour water-shedding programme for all feeders until the maintenance works are completed and normal pumping operations are restored,” he said.
Mr Dube apologised to residents and appealed for patience and cooperation during the maintenance period.
“The City of Bulawayo wishes to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience likely to be caused and requests the patience, understanding and cooperation of all residents while these critical maintenance works are being undertaken to improve the reliability of the water supply system,” he said.
Under the temporary schedule, suburbs supplied by the Criterion, Magwegwe, Rifle Range and Hillside reservoirs will receive water on staggered five-day cycles before supplies are switched off again.
Industrial areas, mines and the central business district have been exempted from the temporary water-shedding programme.
The local authority also urged residents to conserve water, reminding consumers that every drop counts during the maintenance period.
