Fresh water woes for Bulawayo suburbs

The Bulawayo City Council said yesterday that suburbs supplied by the Tuli reservoir will be without water until it repairs a burst pipe connecting Ncema and Fernhill Pump Stations.

In a statement Acting Town Clerk Mrs Sikhangele Zhou said Lochview, Sunninghill, Marlands, Glencoe, Riverside, Waterford, Manningdale, Willsgrove, Buena vista, Douglasdale, Fortunes Gate, Selborne Park, Matsheumhlope Esigodini, Imbizo Barracks, Parklands, Khumalo, Queens Park, Suburbs, Mahatshula, Woodville, Kingsdale and Killarney will be without water until the burst pipe is repaired.

She however did not say when supplies are likely to be restored.

"The City of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public of water supply interruptions to all areas fed by the Tuli Reservoir. This is due to a burst which occurred on the clear water line supplying the Tuli reservoir between Ncema and Fernhill Pump Stations. The City of Bulawayo will temporarily suspend the current 72-hour water shedding programme in the Tuli Reservoir zone until the burst pipe is repaired," said Mrs Zhou.

She said pumping will resume once repair works have been completed but supplies will only be restored when the Tuli reservoir has been raised to acceptable levels.

Mrs Zhou urged residents to conserve water and keep taps turned off in the event that the work is completed soon.

Government is constructing Lake Gwayi-Shangani, which will be a lasting solution to the city's perennial water woes.

President Mnangagwa

The New Dispensation led by President Mnangagwa is spearheading the construction of the 650 million cubic metres dam that was first mooted in 1912 but had failed to take off under previous successive administrations.