BULAWAYO’S sprawling Cowdray Park suburb has emerged as a water crisis area with some residents not receiving the precious liquid after the municipality started implementing a water shedding regime.
The escalating water crisis has baffled councillors who are seeking clarification on previous plans to draw water from Lake Cunningham in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, to alleviate the crisis.
Bulawayo is enduring its most severe water crisis in years.
In a desperate bid to ease the water challenges, council announced plans to build Glass Block Dam in Filabusi to augment supplies from other dams.
“Water demand is increasing in Cowdray Park and the supply system is not matching demand,” read in part a latest council report of the future water supplies and water action committee.
“Most of the areas do not have water at all. Residents have resorted to using unprotected wells.
“Some of these water sources are contaminated.”
The councillors sought clarification on plans to draw water from Lake Cunningham in Filabusi.
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“There is a study which was done some time ago with regards to pumping of water from Lake Cunningham to Ncema Waterworks. Up to now nothing has been done,” the report read.
“A central government water consultant engineer Paul Kruger presented his findings after an effective study of the water situation in the city.
“None of his findings and recommendations have been implemented. Another source of water Bopoma Dam is said to be awaiting documentation.
“This has taken too long. Residents are now raising concerns about the declining water service delivery.”
The poor rains because of the El Niño-induced drought have compounded the water crisis.
Councillors warned that a number of dams may be decommissioned as a result.
Umzingwane Dam has already been decommissioned amid reports that Upper Ncema will be switched off within two months.
City fathers urged council employees to attend to burst water pipes to save the little water.
“A lot of leaks have not been attended to and repaired. A lot of clean water is being lost. Council plumbers take long to attend to such situations. The pipe inspector’s vehicle was off the road awaiting repairs,” the report read.
“This vehicle is very critical in service delivery. The pipe inspector should have been allocated a new vehicle for efficiency especially during these times of crisis.”
The report adds: “Again it is worrisome that, out of seven water bowsers, only three are operational. Council has continued to hire private water bowsers, which could cost more than repairing the broken down water bowsers.”
Government has refused to declare the city a water crisis area to allow the municipality to mobilise alternative sources of funding for short to medium-term intervention projects.
