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The emergency measure has been put in place to conserve dwindling supplies after the ministry failed for the umpteenth time to beat the deadline to commission the Mtshabezi-Umzingwane pipeline last month.
According to the latest council report, with immediate effect all residential areas would go for 16 hours a week without water.
Water would be cut twice weekly in all suburbs, from 7.30am to 3.30pm.
Only industrial sites and the central business district (CBD) would be exempted from shedding.
There would be no water shedding in all areas on Sundays.
Water-shedding is the deliberate cutting of water supplies to certain areas for a period of time like what Zesa is doing with power.
It differs from water rationing whereby a fixed limit for water usage is set and anyone who uses water above the limit is penalised.
Also according to the report, the Ministry of Water Resources, Management and Development is the Government department that owes council the most, with a debt of $2 209 390,11 out of nearly $4 million owed by a total of 13 Government departments.
“All eastern suburbs will be without water on Tuesdays and Fridays, from 7.30am to 3.30am.
Nkulumane, Emganwini, Nketa, Pumula, Sizinda, Tshabalala, Bellevue, Newton West, Southwold and West Somerton will experience shedding on Mondays and Thursdays,” read the report.
The report also shows that Cowdray Park, Luveve, Magwegwe, Njube, Entumbane, Emakhandeni, Babourfields, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja, Mpopoma, Makokoba, Lobengula, Mabutweni, Iminyela, Pelandaba and Matshobane, would experience water shedding on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The local authority has come up with measures to mitigate the effects of water-shedding, which include the setting up of a water crisis committee and installation of 25 500-cubic water tanks at schools and clinics.
“Six water bowsers will be borrowed from Ingwebu Breweries. Seven bowser pumps complete with rubber hose fittings will be procured. A total of 13 city boreholes will be rehabilitated and fuel availed for the water shedding programme,” said the council.
The report shows that the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) was battling to source funding to equip five high yielding boreholes drilled at Epping Forest, to add to the 31 boreholes from Nyamandlovu Aquifer, which were already supplying the city.
Bulawayo councillors adopted the measure as a last resort following the decommissioning of Upper Ncema Dam, which left four supply dams, Insiza, Inyankuni, Lower Ncema, Umzingwane, and Lower Ncema, supplying the city.
Umzingwane is set to be decommissioned soon. The city is in a dilemma as about 80 percent of its water is held in Insiza Dam.
However, the dam has small delivery pipes that cannot pump enough water to meet the city’s demand.
Councillors were reportedly against the decision, saying past experience had shown that water shedding led to system blockage that increased frequency of pipe bursts.
However, statistics of water at dams eventually convinced them to adopt water shedding.
The Mtshabezi project is viewed as a short-term solution to Bulawayo’s perennial water problems.
The Matabeleland Zambezi Pipeline Water Project, which was first mooted in 1912, is viewed as the permanent solution.
In February, the city’s director of engineering services, Engineer Simela Dube, said water shedding was imminent after the city’s five supply dams had a collective inflow of only two percent of their holding capacity during the last rainy season.
The city is said to be operating with a deficit of about four dams, as an additional supply dam is supposed to be constructed after every 10 years.
The last supply dam to be constructed and used by the city was Insiza in 1976.
Below is the water-shedding table
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|
Areas |
DAYS OF THE WEEK |
Times |
|
Nkulumane, Emganwini, Nketa, Pumula, Sizinda, Tshabalala, Bellevue, Newton West, Southwold, West Somerton |
Mondays and Thursdays |
0730-1530 |
|
Cowdray Park, Luveve, Magwegwe, Njube, Entumbane, Emakhandeni, Babourfields, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja, Mpopoma, Makokoba, Lobengula, Mabutweni, Iminyela, Pelandaba, Matshobane |
Wednesdays and Saturdays |
0730-1530 |
|
ALL EASTERN SURBUBS |
Tuesdays and Fridays |
0730-1530 |
|
Industry and CBD |
Exempted |
All Days |
|
ALL |
Sundays |
Exempted |
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