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Mashudu Netsianda  Senior Reporter
THE Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, has ordered the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to pump water from Mtshabezi Dam 24 hours a day as the Zanu-PF Government steps up efforts to address the prevailing water crisis in Bulawayo.
In an interview yesterday during a tour of the city’s major supply dams, Cde Kasukuwere said he had already instructed Zinwa to start pumping water continuously from Mtshabezi Dam so that Bulawayo’s water supply would be constant.

“We cannot afford a situation where Bulawayo residents are not getting water everyday. This is unacceptable and dangerous in terms of health for our people. As Government we have made it a requirement and my ministry through Zinwa is working on ensuring that there is sufficient water supply for the residents of the City of Bulawayo going into January and beyond.

“This will also rewquire the rehabilitation of Nyamandlovu Aquifer and I have instructed Zinwa to pump water for 24 hours from Mtshabezi Dam meaning we can now be able to supply Bulawayo residents with water throughout the week. Basically we can say we now have enough water for residents to get the resource everyday,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

He said his ministry was supporting Bulawayo City Council in stepping up efforts to address the city’s water problems.

“We now have sufficient volumes of water to kick-start the 24-hour water supply arrangement since we have started pumping water for 24 hours from Mtshabezi Dam four days ago unlike when we only pumped for eight hours which forced the council to resort to water shedding,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

Following 24-hour pumping, the Mtshabezi Dam pipeline has boosted water supplies to Bulawayo’s feeder dams from 5 000 cubic metres to 15 000 a day.

“We must now be able to guarantee enough water supplies for Bulawayo. Mtshabezi Dam is 96 percent full and 14 km long and it will take years and years for it to dry. We also encourage our people to continue conserving the little water resources that we have as Government,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

He said the Government was making efforts in completing the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project (NMZWP) which involves the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, the pipeline from the dam to Bulawayo and another pipeline from the dam to Zambezi River. NMZWP was first mooted in 1912.

The Minister said Government had asked the Bulawayo City Council to take measures such as augmenting supplies with boreholes water to ease pressure on its major supply dam, Insiza Dam.

“We do not want to pump Insiza Dam dry hence all the measures being put in place to mitigate against too much pressure on Insiza Dam,” he said.

Bulawayo residents have been subjected to water shedding for more than a year now.

Cde Kasukuwere, who was accompanied by officials from his ministry, toured the Umzingwane, Ncema and Mtshabezi dams as well as two sub-stations supplying power to the three engines that pump water to Bulawayo.

The Mtshabezi pipeline project with a 62km 33KvA power line cost Government $30 million.
Experts have maintained that Bulawayo has enough water bodies but faces challenges in drawing the water.

There are therefore lucrative investment opportunities in the city’s water supply sector.