Bulawayo supply dams only half-full

BULAWAYO supply dams are now averagely half-full despite the heavy rains that the country experienced recently, a far cry from previous years' levels at the same time, raising concern over the water situation in the city which is already precarious.

According to the latest dam statistics as of Friday the city's dams were only 59,4 percent full with Mtshabezi which has a capacity of 51 996 000 cubic metres being 88,97 percent full, Inyankuni, which has a carrying capacity of 80 781 000 cubic metres is 65,81 percent full and Insiza Mayfair, with a carrying capacity of 173 491 000 cubic metres is 63,71 full.

Lower Ncema which has a carrying capacity of 18 237 700 cubic metres is 59,08 percent full, Umzingwane with a carrying capacity of 44 663 500 cubic metres is 32,08 percent full while Upper Ncema which has a carrying capacity of 45 458 500 cubic metres is 24,69 percent full.

The statistics further reveal that in the past two weeks only Insiza Mayfair Dam received inflows of 420 673 cubic metres on 16 February, 140 225 cubic metres on 17 February and Mtshabezi Dam got 35 000 cubic metres on 17 February while the rest of the dams have not received any inflows in the past two weeks.

During the same period last year the city's dams were 79,65 percent full, while in 2017 they were 91,98 percent full.

In 2017 by this time four of the six dams — Insiza Myfair, Lower Ncema, Upper Ncema and Mtshabezi — were already spilling, while last year only Mtshabezi was already spilling by this time. The Meteorological Services Department has predicted that the country will this season receive normal to below normal rains.

The statistics showed that Criterion Raw Reservoir which is the city's main reservoir as at last Friday was at 1,30 metres, rising gradually from Tuesday when it was at 1,03 metres. The reservoir's optimum level is 7,5 metres and its critical level is 1 metre, with a carrying capacity of 1 400 megalitres.

The city has already implemented a three days per week water shedding regime as it is failing to constantly supply water to all its suburbs. The situation has raised concern as some residents have started cashing in on the situation and make others pay for the use of council installed boreholes.

Commenting on the city's water situation, Bulawayo council spokesperson Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said while reservoir levels were improving on a daily level, consumption still remained high hence the need for residents to reduce consumption so as to help improve the city's water status.

"Pumping of raw water into the city's raw water reservoir is steadily increasing but there is need for consumers to continue to conserve water as consumption levels are still very high," said Mrs Mpofu.

She also warned that selling borehole water was illegal.

"During this time of water shortages boreholes are still available for everyone to use. No need for payment from anyone as they are still available for everyone. There are reports from Entumbane that some residents are making others pay for use of the borehole, these people must be warned as boreholes are there for all to use," said she said.

To add on to the water shedding schedule the city reduced water rationing levels which are now pegged at 450 litres a day for high-density areas while low-density areas can use 650 litres a day.

The city faces perennial water shortages with city fathers identifying the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project as the long term solution to the city's problems. Other projects identified include the Epping Forest boreholes project that will increase the water being pumped from the Nyamandlovu Aquifer and the duplication of the Insiza pipeline to complement the current pipeline and increase water being pumped from Insiza Mayfair. Bulawayo is also said to be operating with a deficit of four dams as an additional supply dam is supposed to be constructed after every 10 years.