Residents overusing water

Harare City Council is contemplating introducing massive water consumption limits for families per day.

According to council acting water director Engineer Hosiah Chisango residents are overusing water.

He said a family of six in the high density suburbs is using between 800 and 850 litres of water per day - a figure which is high when compared to other users in the region.

Council wants residents to consume around 400 litres per day.

"In the long run we are considering installing flow limiters in all households and this will go a long way in conserving water" he said.

"For instance, if the water limit for a particular area is 300 per day, once a household reaches that limit it cuts off and water supplies continue the following day. "An average family in Zimbabwe uses about 850 litres per day and some in the low density suburbs can use even 1 500 litres per day and we think we can reduce that, even by half.

In Bulawayo, residents will from Tuesday endure 24 hour water cuts which could be pushed to 48hours if there are no sufficient rains.

The water supply dams are experiencing dwindling water volumes.