Gweru is now left with nine months water supply, with the city’s main water source, Gwenoro Dam at 40% capacity, a senior council official said recently.
BY Stephen Chadenga
City engineer Robson Manatsa said the other two supply dams, Amapongokwe and Whitewaters were 75% and 70% full, respectively although there were challenges with drawing water from the former.
“Our main water supplier, Gwenoro, is 40% full and that is nine months water supply,” Manatsa said.
“We have Amapongokwe, which is 75% full and could have provided an additional 12 months supply, but unfortunately, our pumps that draw water from the dam are not functional. Whitewaters is 70% full, but only supplies a small portion to the city, that is Whawha and Greenvale areas.”
Manatsa urged residents to use water sparingly and also to approach council for plans to settle their outstanding bills.
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“Our residents continue to behave as if everything is normal, and we have actually witnessed an increase in the use of hosepipes,” he said.
Manatsa also said there has been a growing resistance to paying water bills.
Recently, the local authority revealed that it was owed $58 million by residents.
Zimbabwe’s major cities continue to face perennial water shortages because of government’s failure to invest in new infrastructure since independence in 1980.