Gweru dam levels increase

THE water levels at Gweru City Council supply dams Gwenoro and Whitewaters have significantly increased following good rains.

This has seen taps that have been dry for several weeks now being opened by residents.

In a statement yesterday, the Gweru City Council, however, said despite the rise in water levels at the city supply dams, the council would continue with its tight water rationing schedule.

From 17% in August, with Whitewaters dam at 76% capacity and Amapongokwe is at 31%," the Gweru City Council statement said.

"We are pumping plus or minus 28 megalitres per day against a projected supply of 60 megalitres per day and the water supply is according to the rationing schedule," they said.

In recent years, the council introduced water rationing, which has seen residents in some parts of the city going for more than a week without the precious liquid.

Most residents rely on boreholes for water with the local authority recently indicating that it had plans to establish water kiosks to ease the city's water challenges.

Over the years, Gweru's water supply has been worsened by obsolete equipment which result in leaks.

The water shortages have also been compounded by the rapid urban expansion which has seen the demand for the precious liquid rising.