News / Local
3 Bulawayo supply dams recommissioned
08 Jan 2021 at 07:41hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) has recommissioned three of its six supply dams decommissioned last year due to low water levels.
This follows increased inflows into the water bodies since the onset of the rainy season two months ago, bringing relief to the city which was now dependent on three dams — Insiza Mayfair, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi.
Late on Wednesday, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube, in a notice, advised the residents that the council had re-commissioned three dams, namely Umzingwane, Upper Ncema, and Lower Ncema.
"The three supply dams which were previously decommissioned have been recommissioned.
"However water supply to residents is still constrained," Dube said.
"The new pumps, which are replacing the obsolete KSB pumps, have been installed at Ncema and Fernhill pump station and are still undergoing technical commissioning.
"Council is working flat out with the contractor to ensure that pumps are fully operational as soon as possible.
"The water shedding schedule will be reviewed at the end of January."
Dube said the Insiza Mayfair Dam was currently 43,93% full, Inyankuni 41, 89%, Lower Ncema 21,08%, Umzingwane 18,97%, Upper Ncema 28,17% and Mtshabezi 30,28% with the total volume of water being 152 656 307 cubic metres and 136 071 199 cubic metres of usable water.
As of January 6, the dams had a total cumulative inflow of 61 431 361 40 cubic metres.
Despite the recommissioning of the dams, residents are still struggling to access potable water.
Some suburbs such as Cowdray Park, Magwegwe, Pumula, Pelandaba West, Iminyela, Mpopoma, Entumbane, Emakhandeni and Luveve experience problems in accessing water, with residents resorting to fetching water from unprotected sources and travelling long distances looking for the precious liquid.
This follows increased inflows into the water bodies since the onset of the rainy season two months ago, bringing relief to the city which was now dependent on three dams — Insiza Mayfair, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi.
Late on Wednesday, Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube, in a notice, advised the residents that the council had re-commissioned three dams, namely Umzingwane, Upper Ncema, and Lower Ncema.
"The three supply dams which were previously decommissioned have been recommissioned.
"However water supply to residents is still constrained," Dube said.
"The new pumps, which are replacing the obsolete KSB pumps, have been installed at Ncema and Fernhill pump station and are still undergoing technical commissioning.
"Council is working flat out with the contractor to ensure that pumps are fully operational as soon as possible.
"The water shedding schedule will be reviewed at the end of January."
Dube said the Insiza Mayfair Dam was currently 43,93% full, Inyankuni 41, 89%, Lower Ncema 21,08%, Umzingwane 18,97%, Upper Ncema 28,17% and Mtshabezi 30,28% with the total volume of water being 152 656 307 cubic metres and 136 071 199 cubic metres of usable water.
As of January 6, the dams had a total cumulative inflow of 61 431 361 40 cubic metres.
Despite the recommissioning of the dams, residents are still struggling to access potable water.
Some suburbs such as Cowdray Park, Magwegwe, Pumula, Pelandaba West, Iminyela, Mpopoma, Entumbane, Emakhandeni and Luveve experience problems in accessing water, with residents resorting to fetching water from unprotected sources and travelling long distances looking for the precious liquid.
Source - newsday
