Gweru runs dry

Midlands Correspondent
THE City of Gweru and its immediate surroundings yesterday entered the second day without water as the authorities battled to attend a major breakdown at the city’s Range Booster. In a statement yesterday, Gweru Town Clerk Mr Daniel Matawu said the water challenges were likely to last for the whole of this week. He said the water challenges were a result of a burnt motor at Range Booster.
“The Gweru City Council would like to inform all the residents of Gweru that one of the pump sets at our Range Booster has developed a serious fault. The fault involves a burnt motor,” he said.

Mr Matawu said the city would only be able to supply half of the city’s water demand.
“Since currently there is no standby capacity at Range Booster, the council will only be able to supply 50 percent of the normal demand during the time that repairs are being carried out. Unfortunately, this has resulted in serious water shortages during the day citywide, mostly high lying places,” he said.

“This will help in increasing the supply coverage. We are likely to have solved the challenge by Friday,” he said.
The development comes barely some weeks after the Gweru City Council announced that the city’s major supply dam, Gwenoro was now only five percent full. In a report presented at a Midlands Business Opportunities Forum, the council warned residents to brace for serious water challenges in the city.