THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) has urged council to be more transparent about the magnitude of the water crisis in the city to ensure a buy-in from ratepayers who also need to play their part in conserving remaining supplies.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Council is failing to adhere to its water-shedding timetable, raising the ire of residents who have resorted to hoarding the precious liquid, something the council discourages, threatening penalties on those caught doing so.
Zibusiso Dube, the BPRA information manager, said there was need for the local authority to be upfront on the water crisis, engage residents and raise awareness on the issue “so that people appreciate what is going on and actively conserve water”.
“As BPRA we believe there is a need for co-operation and mutual respect between the residents and BCC (Bulawayo City Council)if Bulawayo is to go through this current challenge.
“This requires BCC to be upfront and honest with residents, and to adhere to its stated water-shedding timetables. It is also imperative that residents do not hoard water and play their role in ensuring that the little available water is used responsibly and sparingly,” Dube told Southern Eye in an interview.
“In future, it is also critical to begin to act on water shortages before things spiral out of control.”
The BCC is implementing a 72-hour water-shedding regime, but some high-density suburbs are going for nearly a week without water.
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Council spokesperson Nesisa Mpofu said they have resolved to supply water to such high-density suburbs through water bowsers. She said some suburbs
were on high lying areas, where “water does not reach within a short period when supplies are restored”.
Mpofu said water bowsers will also supply schools, clinics as well as funerals.
According to latest council minutes, the city’s six supply dams are less than 34% full.
In the interim, council is drawing supplies from Mtshabezi Dam through the Mtshabezi
pipeline built by a Chinese construction company in 2012. But only a fraction of Mtshabezi’s supply potential is being harnessed because of pipeline bursts and power cuts affecting the pumping of water.
