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Midlands Bureau
Dam levels at four water supply dams for city of Gweru have increased considerably in the past month, giving the town a water supply cushion of two years.

Town Clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza said residents and business should not worry about water supplies due to erratic rainfall patterns as there was adequate water in the four dams to take the city up to the year 2020.

In response to questions from The Herald, Ms Gwatipedza said: “In terms of raw water supply, our dams have started registering an increase in dam levels with the major supply dam, Gwenoro, now at 90 percent, followed by Whitewaters and Amapongokwe dams which are at 86 percent, with Ngamo Dam 70 percent full.”

Ms Gwatipedza said as such, the water in the supply dams was adequate for 24 months supply to the city. She urged residents to use the water sparingly.

“Water is a precious commodity and even if we have a guaranteed two years supply for the city, we urge residents to use it sparingly. They must conserve the water,” said Mrs Gwatipedza.

She said council was pumping a maximum of 65 megalitres a day to residents. Ms Gwatipedza said plans were underway to increase the city’s pumping capacity for consistence supply of water to the residents. Last week, Zesa installed an alternative feed from Shurugwi in a bid to curb incessant electrical faults that have been affecting normal power supply to the city’s major water supply dam, Gwenhoro.

Two years ago, the city went for more than a week without water following an electrical fault, which saw the transformer going up in flames, affecting water supply pumps at Gwenoro Dam. Over the years, Gweru’s water problems have been worsened by power outages, as well as the city’s obsolete water pumps and pipes.