Broken Pumps Worsen Gweru's Water Crisis
A technical fault at Gweru’s Gwenoro waterworks has worsened the city’s water crisis, with several suburbs going for days without the precious liquid.
Gweru adopted a stringent water rationing regime as its main supply dams, Amapongokwe Dam and Gwenoro Dam are fast drying up. The dams are at 38 per cent and 17 per cent full, respectively.
Gweru City Council (GCC) public relations officer Vimbai Chingwaramuse on Tuesday told Chronicle that besides ageing equipment and low water levels in dams, power outages have compounded the city’s water challenges. She said:
The city is experiencing water challenges due to continuous technical faults at Gwenoro waterworks. Our technical team has been on the ground to solve the challenge. It is our hope that by tomorrow all will be well.
Chingwaramuse indicated that GCC was scrounging for money to buy three high lift water pumps for Amapongokwe Dam to increase pumping capacity.
She said Council is owed approximately $85 million by ratepayers and this has adversely affected service delivery and they are now relying more on donations.
Suburbs such as Mkoba One, 15, 18 and 19, Ascot Infill and Harben Park are going for weeks without water.
Council constructed an elevated water tank at the edge of Village 14 which was supposed to supply water to suburbs on high ground such as Mkoba 15, 19 and 20.
However, the tank was functional for a short period before it broke down.
