72-hour water shedding for Bulawayo

THE Bulawayo City Council yesterday reviewed its water shedding schedule to 72 hours per week as the amount of water in supply dams and reservoirs has gone beyond critical levels.

The local authority also warned that if residents fail to use less water under the new schedule, more stringent measures would be implemented.

At the height of water shedding in 2013, Bulawayo residents went without water for up to four days in a week.

Last week the city embarked on a 48-hour weekly water shedding regime which it failed to adhere to leaving residents stranded, with some suburbs now having gone for seven days without water.

Apologising for the non-adherence to the water shedding schedule, council Senior Public Relations Officer Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said water levels in reservoirs supplying some suburbs had gone below critical levels, rendering them unable to pump water.

She said reviewing the hours would help save the little water left for the city.

Mrs Mpofu said dam levels continued to drop at a faster rate due to the heat.