News / Local
Waters levels in Bulawayo dams irks the council
05 Feb 2016 at 05:42hrs | Views
Bulawayo City Council is reportedly irked by the deterioration water levels in city supply dams which has prompted the local authority to revive the water crisis committee.
Latest council minutes states that discussion ensued and Councillor T. Ncube was concerned about the water levels in the dams and suggested that an emergency meeting should be convened immediately to plan on how to deal with the current water situation.
"He suggested that the pumping capacity at Nyamandlovu Aquifer should be increased. The non functional bowsers should be repaired and be on standby for any emergency," reads the minutes. "He felt that the Committee should also tour all the dams in order to appreciate the situation on the ground. Councillor Lubimbi concurred."
Minutes states that in response the Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services (Water) confirmed that the city was located on Matsheumhlope Aquifer which had plenty of water which should be put to good use.
"If funds were available, Council would install solar boreholes which were less
expensive. Council did not have the capacity to drill boreholes, it relied on donor agencies. He confirmed that Council had bought six (6) new bowsers and one had been allocated to Cowdray Park. The rest were deployed in various projects and would be recalled if there was an emergency. Upper Ncema had been decommissioned and the little water available was left for aquatic life," states that minutes.
"The Acting Town Clerk advised that Management had considered the resuscitation of the Water Crisis Committee considering the water situation in the dams. She confirmed that when water shedding was introduced in 2012 the total capacity of all dams was at 40%. Currently the dams were at 42% . She noted that the 2012 figures excluded Mtshabezi dam and Nyamandlovu boreholes which were not functioning at the time."
The minutes states that the introduction of the two water sources had improved the current water situation.
"It would not be ideal to introduce water shedding at the moment because water was lost through evaporation rather than consumption. She also confirmed that arrangements would be made for the Committee to visit municipal dams as appropriate. She urged members of the Committee to attend the Water Crisis Committee in order to come up with solutions with regards to the water
situation. She also confirmed that arrangements would made for the Committee to visit municipal dams as appropriate," states the minutes.
Latest council minutes states that discussion ensued and Councillor T. Ncube was concerned about the water levels in the dams and suggested that an emergency meeting should be convened immediately to plan on how to deal with the current water situation.
"He suggested that the pumping capacity at Nyamandlovu Aquifer should be increased. The non functional bowsers should be repaired and be on standby for any emergency," reads the minutes. "He felt that the Committee should also tour all the dams in order to appreciate the situation on the ground. Councillor Lubimbi concurred."
Minutes states that in response the Acting Deputy Director of Engineering Services (Water) confirmed that the city was located on Matsheumhlope Aquifer which had plenty of water which should be put to good use.
"If funds were available, Council would install solar boreholes which were less
expensive. Council did not have the capacity to drill boreholes, it relied on donor agencies. He confirmed that Council had bought six (6) new bowsers and one had been allocated to Cowdray Park. The rest were deployed in various projects and would be recalled if there was an emergency. Upper Ncema had been decommissioned and the little water available was left for aquatic life," states that minutes.
"The Acting Town Clerk advised that Management had considered the resuscitation of the Water Crisis Committee considering the water situation in the dams. She confirmed that when water shedding was introduced in 2012 the total capacity of all dams was at 40%. Currently the dams were at 42% . She noted that the 2012 figures excluded Mtshabezi dam and Nyamandlovu boreholes which were not functioning at the time."
The minutes states that the introduction of the two water sources had improved the current water situation.
"It would not be ideal to introduce water shedding at the moment because water was lost through evaporation rather than consumption. She also confirmed that arrangements would be made for the Committee to visit municipal dams as appropriate. She urged members of the Committee to attend the Water Crisis Committee in order to come up with solutions with regards to the water
situation. She also confirmed that arrangements would made for the Committee to visit municipal dams as appropriate," states the minutes.
Source - Byo24News
