Vic Falls blames wasteful residents for water crisis

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
VICTORIA Falls City Council attributed the perennial water shortages affecting the city to wasteful usage by residents as some of them continuously water their gardens and lawns.

The local authority is pumping 17 144 cubic meters daily against a daily demand of 22 800 cubic meters.
Councillors are divided over how to meet the deficit with some proposing introducing water rationing to control excessive use while others feel this will be harsh on residents.

While watering the garden with treated water using a hosepipe is a chargeable offence in other towns such as Bulawayo, it is not the case in Victoria Falls where residents can leave the tap running the whole night watering either the garden or lawn.

Vegetables in the resort city have to be watered regularly because of a combination of high tempetures and Kalahari sands.

Some parts of Victoria Falls particularly in Mkhosana only get water at night while other sections such as BD46 go for days without water.

Council believes a permanent solution is implementation of a US$15 million Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (Wash) programme which will result in an overhaul of the whole water and sewer system in the city.

The cash strapped local authority is courting investors for the project and has also approached Government seeking funding.

The council also requires US$3 million to expand its sewer pond.

There is however a need for an urgent short term solution to the water problems.

Councillors and management debated the issue during a full council meeting on Monday.

Ward Seven Councillor Prince Thuso Nyoni said residents need to be restricted on water usage.

“We hear residents in BB7 are wasting water watering gardens. If possible, let’s have water rationing. We need an urgent short term solution. Let’s also conscientise people so that they know that we have less water than they are using,” said Cllr Moyo.

The city engineer Mrs Sherinah Sibanda concurred, adding that the problem requires a broader solution. “The problem does not require a single solution which is why we are pushing to implement the Wash programme.

We have done feasibility studies and a number of issues are involved. BD46 challenges are a result of poor servicing as water pipes are too small to supply the suburb and we also need a pump house. We need a treatment plant, upgrading Aerodrome waterworks, construction of reservoirs in Mkhosana and total upgrade of the pipeline itself.

“BB7 is also hard hit and we are now using valves to control. Demand is too high and people are using too much water for gardening. We need to save the little water we have,” she said.
BB5 is a relatively new medium density suburb in Ward Three.

Ward 11 Cllr Edmore Zhou said council needs two reservoirs, one elevated and another one on the ground in Mkhosana.

“We urgently need water and a grader because even our roads are bad. Our major challenge is water and we are not pumping enough due to unavailability of reservoirs for storage in Mkhosana,” said Cllr Zhou.

Ward Four Cllr Patricia Mwale said council should find other solutions for water challenges as completely shutting water for residents will affect livelihoods.–@ncubeleon