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Midlands Correspondent
GWERU City Council will soon introduce door-to-door water distribution as well as sinking 31 boreholes to mitigate the perennial water shortages the city has faced over the years due to a decline in water levels of the city’s major source of water. The main source, Gwenhoro Dam is now at 1.2 percent capacity while Amaphongokwe Dam is at 41 percent capacity.

White Waters Dam which could only supply 1 000 cubic meters of water per day instead of the designed 4 000 cubic meters is at 73 percent.

In an interview, assistant to the town clerk in charge of public relations, Mr Tapiwa Marerwa said the local authority needed                  US$138 000 to enable it to sink the 31 boreholes across the city.

“We have already identified the sites on which the boreholes will be drilled. However, we are facing financial challenges therefore we are in the process of sourcing a US$138 000 loan facility to drill the boreholes. Once we secure the money drilling will commence,” he said.

Mr Marerwa said the council had also a UD truck that would be fitted with a 5 000-litre-water tank that would be used for the door-to-door water distribution to areas where there were serious water challenges among them Mkoba Village 19 which, at one point spent more than 20 years without water.

“We have acquired a vehicle which will move around with a 5 000-litre tanker distributing water to residents in areas where there are acute water shortages due to water shedding.

“However, we are still to fit the tanker on the truck that would be used rotate water distribution to various parts of the city,” he said.
Mr Marerwa said the city’s main source of water Gwenhoro was now on 1.2 percent capacity and the local authority could no longer draw water from it.

He said the city was now drawing water from Amapongokwe Dam which was on 41 percent capacity.
“We are now drawing water from Amapongokwe Dam which is supplying 90 percent of the city’s daily consumption. However, its capacity can only sustain the city for only two months.”