Thousands of Bulawayo residents and businesses could soon get more water after the city council began reviewing allocations following a sharp recovery in dam levels, although officials say not everyone will qualify.
The move follows a significant improvement in water storage after a favourable rainy season, prompting the local authority to consider restoring some of the water allocations reduced in June last year when dam levels fell to critically low levels.
However, council has ruled out a blanket return to pre-June 2024 allocations, saying every application will be assessed individually to protect the city’s water supply system.
According to a report by the director of water and sanitation presented to the council’s water and sanitation committee, the June 2024 water cuts were introduced as an emergency conservation measure as the city’s dams approached critical levels.
“Following the significant improvement in dam storage levels and the gradual recovery of the water supply system, it is recommended that all allocation review applications received to date, as well as future applications, be processed and assessed for possible restoration of pre-June 2024 allocations,” the report said.
The report said applications would be evaluated after verifying consumers’ account status, assessing their actual water requirements and determining the availability of supply.
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Officials warned that the city was not yet ready to fully lift the restrictions.
“At this stage, a blanket restoration of allocations across the city is not recommended, as the system is still undergoing stabilisation and efforts remain focused on ensuring equitable water distribution,” the report reads.
“A controlled and gradual approach will enable the city to monitor system performance, assess demand trends and make informed decisions regarding any future wider restoration of allocations.”
If approved, households in high-density suburbs would see their daily allocations increase from 350 litres to 450 litres, while those in low-density suburbs would receive 650 litres per day, up from the current 550 litres.
Residential flats with individual meters would have their allocations increased from 300 litres to 400 litres per day.
Hotels, hospitals, industries, commercial consumers, schools, churches, sports clubs and restaurants would also be eligible for increased allocations based on their previous consumption patterns and operational needs.
The review comes as Bulawayo’s water situation continues to improve.
The report shows that as of June 15, 2026, the city’s six supply dams were 67.95% full, holding a combined 281.7 million cubic metres of water, of which 265.1 million cubic metres was usable.
This is a significant improvement from the 45.2% recorded during the same period last year, representing an increase of 22.58 percentage points in dam storage.
Among the major supply dams, Mtshabezi Dam is now full at 100%, while Insiza Dam, Bulawayo’s largest water source, has reached 88.11% capacity compared to just under 50% at the same time last year.
Despite the improved storage, council said operational challenges continue to limit water production.
The report noted that although available water sources are capable of supplying about 165 megalitres per day, actual abstraction averaged 126.7 megalitres daily, while production stood at 118.65 megalitres because of maintenance works, equipment breakdowns and supply interruptions.
Council also reported that 33 Nyamandlovu boreholes 10 at Epping Forest and 23 at Rochester are operational and currently contribute an average of 8.625 megalitres of water per day to the city’s distribution network.
Beyond improving current supplies, the local authority said it is pursuing long-term measures to strengthen Bulawayo’s water security and reduce reliance on surface water.
Among the initiatives is the exploration of groundwater resources through the Umganini Aquifer under the Nkulumane-Nketa Groundwater Scheme, being implemented as part of the WaterWorX programme.
According to the report, the aquifer has the potential to become a significant source of water for the city if development is supported by targeted drilling, continuous monitoring and phased expansion based on proven performance.