News / Local
Pumula residents still without running water
04 Mar 2021 at 01:29hrs | Views
PUMULA South residents in Bulawayo have petitioned the local authority over lack of running water in the area despite the recent easing of the water-shedding regime.
Last year, council was forced to introduce a water-shedding regime due to low water levels at the city's supply dams.
A tight water-shedding regime stretching for a week and sometimes for nearly two weeks was then introduced for the whole city.
However, council has since relaxed the water-shedding regime to 72 hours after the supply dams received huge inflows, resulting in council recommissioning some supply dams that it had decommissioned.
While the relaxation of water-shedding was celebrated by many residents, Habek section residents still have not received running water.
They sent a petition to town clerk Christopher Dube, mayor Solomon Mguni and his deputy Mlandu Ncube.
"We, the undersigned are residents of Pumula South, Habek section and are concerned with the continued water unavailability in some sections, which affects our human rights. Our area last received water in early 2020 and water only comes to one section of the community," the petition read.
"The affected section incorporates house numbers 14968 to 15265, which is about 297 households. We have reported the issue numerous times to the BCC in the year 2020 and got reference numbers 2003W953 and 2008W275.
"As residents, we appeal to the BCC to send a team of engineers or plumbers to come and inspect our water pipes and valves to ascertain if there are no closed valves that are blocking water from reaching our community, and to at least ensure that we also enjoy the right to water by closing other sections to allow our section to have pressure that will push water to our section."
The deputy mayor yesterday acknowledged the challenges faced by Habek residents.
"Council is working on installing pressure pumps to make water available to the area. That problem is being looked at, and it will be addressed," Ncube said.
Habek section is in a high-lying area. Bulawayo's supply dams are currently 65% full from the 30% recorded during the same period last year.
Council has said its water restoration strategy would be influenced by the installation of new pumps "to increase the treatment capacity from the current 92ML/day to 145 ML/day" and ensure residents receive steady water supplies.
Last year, council was forced to introduce a water-shedding regime due to low water levels at the city's supply dams.
A tight water-shedding regime stretching for a week and sometimes for nearly two weeks was then introduced for the whole city.
However, council has since relaxed the water-shedding regime to 72 hours after the supply dams received huge inflows, resulting in council recommissioning some supply dams that it had decommissioned.
While the relaxation of water-shedding was celebrated by many residents, Habek section residents still have not received running water.
They sent a petition to town clerk Christopher Dube, mayor Solomon Mguni and his deputy Mlandu Ncube.
"We, the undersigned are residents of Pumula South, Habek section and are concerned with the continued water unavailability in some sections, which affects our human rights. Our area last received water in early 2020 and water only comes to one section of the community," the petition read.
"The affected section incorporates house numbers 14968 to 15265, which is about 297 households. We have reported the issue numerous times to the BCC in the year 2020 and got reference numbers 2003W953 and 2008W275.
"As residents, we appeal to the BCC to send a team of engineers or plumbers to come and inspect our water pipes and valves to ascertain if there are no closed valves that are blocking water from reaching our community, and to at least ensure that we also enjoy the right to water by closing other sections to allow our section to have pressure that will push water to our section."
The deputy mayor yesterday acknowledged the challenges faced by Habek residents.
"Council is working on installing pressure pumps to make water available to the area. That problem is being looked at, and it will be addressed," Ncube said.
Habek section is in a high-lying area. Bulawayo's supply dams are currently 65% full from the 30% recorded during the same period last year.
Council has said its water restoration strategy would be influenced by the installation of new pumps "to increase the treatment capacity from the current 92ML/day to 145 ML/day" and ensure residents receive steady water supplies.
Source - newsday
