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Walter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
MASVINGO City Council is set to embark on a massive water rationing programme due to the drought induced by the El Nino phenomenon. The decision to reduce water allocations for all residential areas comes in the wake of falling water levels at Lake Mutirikwi, the main supply dam for the city. Lake Mutirikwi water levels have since dropped to 21, 67 percent.

According to the latest full council minutes, low density areas will be allocated 40 cubic metres or 40,000 litres per month, while medium density areas will have 30 cubic metres or 30,000 litres and high density areas 25 cubic metres or 25,000 litres over the same period.

Council said army establishments, police stations and prisons, schools, colleges and other institutions should reduce their water usage by 20 percent with immediate effect.

“Masvingo General Hospital will, however, not be affected as modalities are being worked out so that the provincial referral hospital gets uninterrupted water supply,” reads the minutes.

Industrial and commercial areas will be exempted from water rationing so that businesses in the city are not affected. On the use of hosepipes for watering gardens, lawns, washing cars and filling swimming pools, council said a ban was already in place and would be reinforced.

“It was also suggested the penalty for hosepipe usage be increased from $100 to $500,” the minutes said. The Zimbabwe National Water Authority has also cut water supplies to sugarcane estates in the lowveld.