News / Local
Bulawayo supply dams still in distress
02 Dec 2020 at 06:24hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council has revealed that water levels in its supply dams remain very low despite the heavy downpours experienced across the country since last week, an indication that the water crisis afflicting the city is far from being over.
The city early this year decommissioned Umzingwane, Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema dams.
It remained with Insiza Mayfair, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi dams.
"On Monday, the city received a record 29mm of rainfall in 20 minutes in the central business district, but the water levels in the supply dams have not significantly increased," town clerk Christopher Dube revealed.
In a notice to the residents, Dube, said as at November 30, Insiza Mayfair was 27% full with 47 031 887 cubic metres of water whose usable volume is at 40 092 247 cubic metres.
He said Inyankuni was at 38,22% full, with a 30 872 270 cubic-metre volume and 27 641 030 cubic metres usable water.
The decommissioned Lower Ncema, Dube said, was at 5,98% with 1 090 820 cubic metres of water and a 361 312 cubic-metre volume of water usable while Umzingwane had 6,33%, with a 2 829 100 cubic-metre volume and 1 042 560 cubic metres of usable water.
Upper Ncema was at 3,81% and had a 1 729 900 cubic-metre volume of water and 88 440 cubic metres of usable water and remains decommissioned.
Mtshabezi was at 24,09% full and had 12 526 000 cubic metres of water with 10 446 160 cubic metres of usable water.
He said the total capacity of the dams was at 23,17% with 96 079 977 cubic metres of water and 79 494 869 cubic metres of usable water.
"Inflows as of Saturday November 28 to Monday morning November 30, Insiza Mayfair received only 3,31%, Inyankuni had 0,04%, Lower Ncema had 0%, Umzingwane had 0,87%, Upper Ncema had 1,36% and Mtshabezi had 0% and the cumulative total inflows were at 6 789 876 6 cubicmetres," the notice read.
The Meteorological Services Department indicated that the rains that fell on Monday broke a two year record in which only 30mm can be recorded over five hours of continuous rains.
The rains brought relief to residents who now survive by harvesting rainy water as the water crisis persists.
The city early this year decommissioned Umzingwane, Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema dams.
It remained with Insiza Mayfair, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi dams.
"On Monday, the city received a record 29mm of rainfall in 20 minutes in the central business district, but the water levels in the supply dams have not significantly increased," town clerk Christopher Dube revealed.
In a notice to the residents, Dube, said as at November 30, Insiza Mayfair was 27% full with 47 031 887 cubic metres of water whose usable volume is at 40 092 247 cubic metres.
He said Inyankuni was at 38,22% full, with a 30 872 270 cubic-metre volume and 27 641 030 cubic metres usable water.
Upper Ncema was at 3,81% and had a 1 729 900 cubic-metre volume of water and 88 440 cubic metres of usable water and remains decommissioned.
Mtshabezi was at 24,09% full and had 12 526 000 cubic metres of water with 10 446 160 cubic metres of usable water.
He said the total capacity of the dams was at 23,17% with 96 079 977 cubic metres of water and 79 494 869 cubic metres of usable water.
"Inflows as of Saturday November 28 to Monday morning November 30, Insiza Mayfair received only 3,31%, Inyankuni had 0,04%, Lower Ncema had 0%, Umzingwane had 0,87%, Upper Ncema had 1,36% and Mtshabezi had 0% and the cumulative total inflows were at 6 789 876 6 cubicmetres," the notice read.
The Meteorological Services Department indicated that the rains that fell on Monday broke a two year record in which only 30mm can be recorded over five hours of continuous rains.
The rains brought relief to residents who now survive by harvesting rainy water as the water crisis persists.
Source - newsday
