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Aerial photo of Gwayi Dam

Prosper Ndlovu Senior Reporter
THE water situation in the Gwayi catchment area is stable as most dams are 60 percent full.

Gwayi catchment covers the whole of Matabeleland North, part of Matabeleland South and Midlands.
In an interview yesterday, Gwayi Catchment manager Mr Fortune Musoni said water in the dams was enough to sustain communities up to the next rainy season.

“On average most dams in the catchment area are 60 percent full and can supply water up to the next rainy season. I hope you are aware that we have very few dams and they have a small holding capacity,” said Mr Musoni.

“Pollards Dam in Inyathi and Shangani Dam are almost 60 percent full while Bubi Lupane Dam is at 50 percent plus. Upper Umguza Dam is 90 percent full.

“In Bulilima District, Moza Dam is 50 percent plus while Tshankwa Dam is at 70 percent. Exchange Dam in Gweru near Silobela is 58 percent full.”

Mr Musoni said Victoria Falls, Hwange and Binga were safe zones as they draw their water from Zambezi River.
He, however, said water levels at Mananda Dam in Solusi and Tshongogwe in Lupane were critical.

“The two casualty areas are Mananda in Solusi and Tshongogwe in Lupane. Mananda Dam is 10 percent full while Tshongogwe Dam is at 17 percent,” he said.

“Mananda Dam supplies Solusi University and commercial farmers in the area while Tshongogwe Dam is mainly used for irrigation purposes.”

Mr Musoni said the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) was going to meet next week to review the situation in the two areas and map the way forward.

“When we face such situation principle requires us to prioritise domestic water. We will be meeting next week to review these areas. There are also plans to construct a new dam in upper Tshongogwe,” he said.

Mrs Musoni said districts such as Nkayi and Tsholotsho that do not have big dams were using sand abstraction system, which draws underground water.

He also said plans had been set to construct a new dam in Ziminya area in Nkayi but said the project lacked funding.
Mr Musoni said Zinwa was conducting routine borehole repairs and maintenance in areas that do not have dams.

He said the water authority has also embarked on a programme to flush old boreholes that have not been working for many years and urged communities to approach Zinwa offices if they have such problems.