(Last Updated on December 22, 2020 by GERALD NCUBE)
BULAWAYO – Residents in the city of Bulawayo can anticipate some relief from the current strenuous water-shedding following the announcement by city council that it plans to recommission three dams that had been decommissioned due to very low water levels.
Council announced that it plans to recommission Umzingwane, Upper and Lower Ncema dams which have now received usable volumes of 11 million cubic metres following the heavy rains in the region.
This is likely going to ease the water-shedding from the current 144-hour cycle.
Speaking after a full council on Monday, Bulawayo City Council Mayor Solomon Mguni said the recommissioning of dams was very important and the authorities were exploring other ways to ease the burden on the residents.
“The recommissioning strategy is of high importance to the city and various efforts are being made to ease the current water-shedding burden. I am aware of the considerable strain which is faced by Bulawayo residents due to water shedding.
“It is my hope that the recent inflows while still low will still assist in alleviating the stress faced by the residents,” said Mayor Mguni.
As part of the strategy, Upper and Lower Ncema are expected to feed into the Ncema water treatment works for clear pumping to the Tuli reservoir.
The City Engineer, Simela Dube said the water-shedding was going to be eased progressively from 23 December onwards.
The early rains in the country together with some efforts made by the Council to refurbish some of the machinery involved in the water treatment is expected to soon ease the strain on the residents.
