adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
GWERU City Council has released a water rationing schedule which will see residents going for long hours without supplies due to diminishing levels in its supply dam.
A health disaster looms in the city, amid indications that the main water supplier, Gwenhoro Dam, is left with less than 18 percent water and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) is on the verge of decommissioning it.
The situation has been worsened by the local authority’s failure to secure over $5 million needed to buy new water pumps for Amapongobge Dam which is an alternative water source.
If the local authority fails to source water pumps for Amapongobge as a matter of urgency — the city could face a serious disaster. Only last year, water woes caused a typhoid outbreak which left eight residents dead with over 2 000 others requiring medical attention.
The city’s pumping capacity dropped to 20 mega litres a day against the city’s demand of 60 mega litres which has resulted in areas such as Mkoba 14 and Ascot suburbs going for weeks without water.
According to a public notice by town clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza, the water rationing programme will last 24 hours.
The water rationing schedule is from Monday to Sunday in which suburbs which have been grouped from group one (G1) to group five (G5).
In G1, there is Mkoba 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, Ascot, Mambo, Mtapa, Clifton Park, Shamrock, Ivene, Lundi Park, Southview, Southdowns, Town, Nashville, Northlea and Claremont Park.”
G2 has town, Ridgemont, Clonsilla, Hertfordshire, Northgate Heights, Daylesford, Senga, Nehosho, Kopje, Cowford Park, Lingfield, Athlone, Riverside, Harben Park, Adelide Park, KMP, Thornhill Airbase and Windsor Park.
In G3 there is Mkoba 7, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, Woodlands and Paradise Park. “G4, Mkoba 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 20, Woodlands and Paradise Park, Senga, Daylesford, Windsor Park, Nashville, Ivene, Lundi Park, Town, Southview, Southdowns, Athlone, Ascot, Mambo, Mtapa, Clifton Park, Claremont Park. G5, Mkoba 14, 15, 19. Gweru city spokesperson Mr Manford Gambiza called on residents and companies to bear with council during the water challenges.
“They should use the available water sparingly,” he said. “They should get to know the times when water will be available so that they get the precious liquid. There is need also for them to practice hygienic ways of storing the water.
“In the event of looking for water from alternative sources such as boreholes, open surface water bodies, wells and water trucking, residents are encouraged to treat the water at the point of consumption by either boiling the water and storing it in a narrow mouthed container to reduce contamination or by water disinfectants and observe the dilution rates and reaction time.” Gweru town clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza said the water rationing schedule is authentic.
“It is the beginning, so we are open to suggestions because our aim is to improve equity in distribution of the scarce commodity,” she said.
“Because of the challenges we need to share what is there.
“As we make suggestions let’s bear in mind that the day when valves are opened for a certain area to receive water there is time also to allow for building of pressure so that it can reach high areas.”
Online Reporter