adminwith hopes that the rains that have started falling in the city and other places recently will quench their thirst this year.
The year 2012 will go down in the history of Bulawayo as arguably one of the worst in terms of water supply as taps were almost dry most of the year.
Because of erratic low rainfall received during the 2011-2012 season, the city’s five major supply dams have recorded low water levels with some dams decommissioned thereby further reducing water available for the city.
It is estimated that Bulawayo consumes more than 150 000 cubic metres of water and the city’s five supply dams are meant to cater for not more than 250 000 people, but the population has risen over the years to more than 600 000 people.
Last July, just before the onset of the rainy season, the Bulawayo City Council decommissioned two of its major water supply dams — Umzingwane and Upper Ncema — with Lower Ncema and Inyankuni likely to be decommissioned in March this year, if the city continues to experience erratic rains.
The water crisis is likely to continue to worsen in 2013, with recent reports that the 96-hour weekly water shedding in force is set to remain, as the local authority’s major supply dams have received insignificant inflows from the delayed rains that started at the beginning of this month.
The city’s major supply dams are holding below 40 percent of capacity with only 0,35 percent rainfall inflows having been recorded so far.
The Mtshabezi-Umzingwane pipeline, expected to bring relief to the city, has been fraught with problems that prevented the pumping of water from Mtshabezi, leaving the city pinning its hopes on Insiza Dam as the only source of water to supply over 600 000 people.
Mrs Elina Dube, a mother of six from Magwegwe high density suburb, said she did not see an immediate end to the water crisis.
“It might be worse this year as we continue to receive little rains. We are going for almost three to four months without tap water. We are now used to waiting in long winding queues at boreholes and bowsers to obtain water for cooking, drinking and laundry everyday. At times I wake up as early as 4am with my children to queue for water at the only one borehole in Lobengula suburb,” she said.
At some stage last year some unscrupulous residents cashed in on the water crisis by selling the precious liquid to desperate residents.
“This past year was a dry year, we ended up digging a well in our backyard, hopefully the worst will be over this year,” said Mr Njabulo Ncube of Gwabalanda.
Bulawayo Residents Association chairman Mr Winos Dube said 2012 was a difficult year for most residents who went for long periods without water and electricity.
He said there was a need for city fathers to come up with strategies that ensure adequate water supply to the city.
“The year 2012 was a difficult one for most residents in Bulawayo. Residents have witnessed council’s poor service delivery from water shortages, inconsistent refuse collection and continued power cuts by Zesa. We hope this new year will bring some changes and improvements especially in water supply. We hope that the wet spell continues and our dams spill and improve water availability.
“Our position is that we are calling upon authorities to come up with long-term strategies to guarantee adequate water supplies to residents. The Mtshabezi pipeline is one option which can assist, but the permanent solution is the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project,” said Mr Dube.
Bulawayo Mayor, Councillor Thaba Moyo, in his end of year speech, admitted that 2012 was a dry year as residents grappled with water challenges.
“The year 2012 was a difficult one that saw many residents facing water problems. We are hopeful of a wet season this year that will bring to an end the water problems in the city,” he said.
Noting the recurrent water shortage, the Government, Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust and the local authority have over the years, been pursuing the mammoth Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project.
Mooted in 1912, the project involves construction of a pipeline from Zambezi River to Bulawayo and its environs.
However, since it was mooted a century ago, the project has remained on the drawing board.
Online Reporter