Recent rains bring relief to Bulawayo’s Dams, but water crisis persists

Rutendo Nyeve
Bulawayo Bureau
The City of Bulawayo has recorded a slight improvement in dam inflows compared to the same period last year, thereby providing a glimmer of hope amid persistent water supply challenges.
According to the latest Dam Watch statistics released on Tuesday by town clerk Mr Christopher Dube, as of Monday the cumulative inflows into the city’s operational dams had risen to 21.29 percent of total capacity, which is an increase from last year’s levels.
The total operational dam levels stand at 44.68 percent, a slight increase from the 43.20 percent recorded on the same date in 2024.
This improvement is attributed to the recent rains received across the country.
Among the key dams, Upper Ncema Dam has shown a remarkable recovery and now stands at 50.03 percent, compared to 17.20 percent last year.
This improvement follows the strategic release of water from Upper Ncema into Lower Ncema, which had reached a critical low of 9.26 percent earlier this month.
However, Insiza Mayfair Dam is currently at 52.04 percent capacity, down from 58.92 percent last year, while Inyankuni Dam has dropped to 19.27 percent from 29.46 percent.
The cumulative inflows as at 17 February was 88,275,173 cubic meters, with a daily increase of 5,028,431 cubic meters.
Insiza Dam recorded the highest inflow at 31,337,100 cubic meters, while Inyankuni Dam reported no inflows on the same day.
Despite the slight improvement, the City of Bulawayo continues to urge residents to use water sparingly as the overall dam levels remain below optimal.