Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council is considering resuscitating its water crisis committee as it faces a critical water shortage with its supply dams at 42 percent capacity.

With the Meteorological Services Department predicting that the country is likely to receive normal to below normal rainfall during the 2015-16 season, this could have far reaching effects on the city’s water situation.

According to the latest council report, Acting Town Clerk Sikhangele Zhou said management was considering resuscitating the water crisis committee considering the water situation.

Zhou told councillors that when water shedding was introduced in 2012, the total capacity of all dams was at 40 percent.

She also said an emergency meeting on the water situation must be convened.

“Currently the dams are at 42 percent and the 2012 figures excluded Mtshabezi dam and Nyamandlovu boreholes which were not functioning at the time. The introduction of the two water sources has improved the current water situation,” said Zhou.

She dismissed the idea of introducing water shedding at the moment, but suggested that an emergency meeting should be convened immediately to plan on how to deal with the current water situation.

Councillor Thobane Ncube suggested that the pumping capacity at Nyamandlovu Aquifer be increased and non-functional bowsers should be repaired and be on standby for any emergency.

Clr Ncube said he felt that the emergency committee should also tour all the dams in order to appreciate the situation on the ground.

The acting Deputy Director of Engineering services (water), Mente Ndlovu, said the city was located on the Matsheumhlope Aquifer which had plenty of water which should be utilised.

He said if funds were available, council would install solar boreholes which are less expensive as council did not have the capacity to drill boreholes.

Ndlovu said council had bought six new bowsers and one had been allocated to Cowdray Park suburb.

“The rest of the bowsers were deployed in various projects and will be recalled if there is an emergency,” he said.

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