Property owners block water flow to Hillside Dams

Chronicle Reporter
THE Upper Gwayi Sub-Catchment Council has raised concern over the construction of private water storage facilities near Hillside Dams in Bulawayo saying such activities are disrupting the water flow to the dams.

The Hillside Dams are a popular conservancy situated in the City of Kings and attract a lot of people for leisure purposes. According to historians, Hillside Dams were part of the last Ndebele King Lobhengula’s favourite place of relaxation.

In a notice, the council gave the concerned property owners seven days to prove they have permission to conduct water storage works around the area. It warned that failure to produce documentary proof would attract punitive action against the owners as their structures are disrupting the normal flow of water in public streams.

The construction of any storage works and abstraction of water for any purposes other than primary purpose from any public stream must comply with the requirements of the Water Act Chapter 20:24 as read with Statutory Instrument 206 of 2001, said the council.

It also challenged the owners to justify why the demolition of those structures should not be recommended.

“We request proof from the owners of adjacent properties that form the catchment area to the stream that flows towards Upper and Lower Hillside Dams, who have constructed water storage works on this stream.

“These structures are disrupting the normal flow of water in this public stream and this has contributed to the decline of water levels at the Hillside Dams,” said the council.

“Owners of these structures are expected within seven days of this notice to submit documentary proof that they are legally empowered to construct them failure of which action will be taken without further notice.”