BCC resumes water-rationing after power outage

By The NewsDay | Mar. 27, 2021 | 2 Min read

BULAWAYO City Council has revealed that the current power supply interruptions at the Creterion Waterworks since March 22 have affected water treatment and delivery to the city, forcing the local authority to re-introduce a 72-hour water-shedding regime starting Wednesday.

BY SILAS NKALA

This came at a time the city had started recovering from water supply challenges of last year when some high-density areas went for about six months without tap water.

In the last quarter of 2020, BCC even abandoned the 144-hour water-shedding it had introduced, advising residents that it would only pump the precious liquid whenever it was able to do so.

However, since the onset of the rains, the city’s supply dams recorded significant inflows, prompting authorities to reduce the water-shedding hours.

But in a notice to the residents yesterday, town clerk Christopher said the power supply interruption prompted the local authority to resume the 72-hour water-shedding.

“The City of Bulawayo wishes to advise members of the public that the city will start the 72-hour water-shedding programme due to the current power supply interruptions at the Criterion Waterworks since March 22 which has affected water treatment and delivery to the city, a power surge that occurred that resulted in the damages to a transformer and the motor of one of the clear water pumps that feeds Tuli Reservoir, which is linked to 6J. Hillside and Rifle Range Reservoirs,” Dube said.

Both high and low-density suburbs will experience water-shedding, but industry, mines and the central business district will be spared.