admincrippling water shortages since the beginning of the year on the back of low inflows into Lake Mutirikwi, Masvingo city’s sole water source.
The low inflows into Lake Mutirikwi in the last rainy season coupled with water draw-downs to irrigate sugar cane plantations in the Lowveld, left levels in Zimbabwe’s largest dam low.
Chairperson of the Masvingo City Council caretaker committee Mr James Mazvidza yesterday confirmed that the city had applied for an urgent 7km-long pipeline to make sure that the country’s oldest town continues to get water. Mr Mazvidza, who is Masvingo’s district administrator, said water problems in Masvingo would get severe unless the water abstraction pipeline was expanded.
“We are looking for an urgent loan from Government of US$760 000 to build a pipeline from the current water abstraction point in Lake Mutirikwi to a deeper point. Council urgently needs to embark on that project so that Masvingo city does not experience crippling water shortages.
The dam is now at about 16,3 percent full and the water levels continue to decline,’’ he said.
Mr Mazvidza said part of the loan would also be used to procure pumps to install on the new abstraction point at a deeper place in the dam. He said Lowveld sugar cane companies had since stopped drawing water from Lake Mutirikwi so that the reservoir does not completely dry up.
Online Reporter