News / Local
Byo dam levels still critical
20 Dec 2010 at 15:22hrs | Views
BULAWAYO'S five supply dams have received insignificant inflows, despite the heavy rains that have been falling in and around the city since last month.
However, two major dams in Matabeleland South, a province where the Bulawayo supply dams are situated, are reportedly spilling.
In an interview yesterday, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)'s acting catchment manager for Mzingwane catchment area, Mr Stanley Nazombe, said two major dams, including Tuli-Makwe were filled to capacity and actually spilling.
The situation regarding Bulawayo's dams, on the other hand, could deepen fears that the water shedding schedule, which the Bulawayo City Council suspended without even implementing, would be put in place after all.
According to figures supplied by Mr Nazombe, Upper Ncema got the highest inflow of 12 percent, but the largest supply dam, Insiza's level, was reduced by 1,25 percent and is at 68,75 percent of its capacity.
The figures from Zinwa showed the status of the dams as at 16 December and these were being compared to figures released by the city council at the beginning of the month.
Mr Nazombe said the decommissioned Upper Ncema was now nine percent full, up from 2,23 percent.
He said Umzingwane was 14 percent full. It was 3,32 percent full at the beginning of the month.
The latest council report shows that the average daily water usage rate has risen to 151 486 cubic metres, from about 142 000 last month.
The report also states that following the decommissioning of Upper Ncema Dam on 5 September, the city's demands had to be met by increased abstraction of water from Umzingwane by pumping. However, the report showed that the pumping would result in the premature depletion of the dam.
Eng Dube said Umzingwane and Inyankuni dams were set to be decommissioned in a few weeks if they do not get significant inflows from the rain that had started falling.
This would leave the city relying on two dams ' Insiza and Lower Ncema ' for water supply.
Eng Dube could not be reached on his mobile phone for comment yesterday.
Last month, ministers Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Obert Mpofu and Dr Ignatius Chombo said the water problems in Bulawayo were exaggerated.
However, two major dams in Matabeleland South, a province where the Bulawayo supply dams are situated, are reportedly spilling.
In an interview yesterday, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa)'s acting catchment manager for Mzingwane catchment area, Mr Stanley Nazombe, said two major dams, including Tuli-Makwe were filled to capacity and actually spilling.
The situation regarding Bulawayo's dams, on the other hand, could deepen fears that the water shedding schedule, which the Bulawayo City Council suspended without even implementing, would be put in place after all.
According to figures supplied by Mr Nazombe, Upper Ncema got the highest inflow of 12 percent, but the largest supply dam, Insiza's level, was reduced by 1,25 percent and is at 68,75 percent of its capacity.
The figures from Zinwa showed the status of the dams as at 16 December and these were being compared to figures released by the city council at the beginning of the month.
Mr Nazombe said the decommissioned Upper Ncema was now nine percent full, up from 2,23 percent.
He said Umzingwane was 14 percent full. It was 3,32 percent full at the beginning of the month.
The latest council report shows that the average daily water usage rate has risen to 151 486 cubic metres, from about 142 000 last month.
The report also states that following the decommissioning of Upper Ncema Dam on 5 September, the city's demands had to be met by increased abstraction of water from Umzingwane by pumping. However, the report showed that the pumping would result in the premature depletion of the dam.
Eng Dube said Umzingwane and Inyankuni dams were set to be decommissioned in a few weeks if they do not get significant inflows from the rain that had started falling.
This would leave the city relying on two dams ' Insiza and Lower Ncema ' for water supply.
Eng Dube could not be reached on his mobile phone for comment yesterday.
Last month, ministers Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, Obert Mpofu and Dr Ignatius Chombo said the water problems in Bulawayo were exaggerated.
Source - Chronicle
