Gweru City Council has announced plans to embark on a ‘strict’ water rationing scheme as it is currently battling power outages and funds to replace obselete equipment at its main water supply pumping stations.
The council reports that it requires USD $64 million for it to meet the city’s required water supply of 80 mega litres per day against the current supplies of 45 megalitres.
Apart from the current water supply Gweru has a maximum capacity of supplying 65 megalitres per day, which is way below the required 80 megalitres.
The city’s town clerk Ms Elizabeth Gwatipedza issued a statement announcing plans for the earmarked water rationing.
“To be able to pump treated water at full capacity, there are rehabilitation works that need to be undertaken at our treatment plant and raw water pump station (Amapongobwe and Gwenhoro) which may comprise of obsolete pump replacements and repair of mainlines and major fittings which have been costed to the tune of $10 million USD.
“There are however, additional works that need to be done in the short and medium term which include upgrading water treatment plants, water pumping mains plus pump stations, replacement of old and dilapidated pipe networks and other ancillary works at a total costs of $54 USD,” she said.
Ms Gwatipedza added that, “Efforts are underway to urgently construct and equipment Amapongobwe raw water pump. However, due to the financial challenges the city is facing, the equipping of Amapongobwe may not materialise as soon as possible.
“In this case we will be forced in the next few months to exercise strict rationing so as to extend the period by which we extract water at Gwenhoro.”
