Bulawayo water crisis has worsened after thieves stole electricity cables at Inyankuni Dam Booster station a situation that will see residents going for more than a week without water.
The city currently relies on three supply dams, Insiza, Inyankuni and Mtshabezi and they are at 25 percent with the city currently on a 144 hour water shedding programme.
In a statement, Friday, Bulawayo Town Clerk, Christopher Dube said the loss of pumping from Inyankuni dam will lead to even lower water abstraction volumes from the three supply dams.
“BCC would like to advise members of the public of water supply interruption to all the areas in the city for the next five to six days outside the water-shedding schedule. The interruption is due to the theft of electricity cables that supply power to one of the city’s remaining three surface raw water sources (Inyankuni dam booster station),” Dube said.
“ZETDC is working towards ensuring that power is restored to the raw water source as soon as possible. The loss of pumping from Inyankuni dam will lead to even lower water abstraction volumes resulting to a daily loss of 18ml a day to a system that is already struggling to meet current demand, following the past two poor consecutive rainfall seasons.”
Dube advised residents that the council might face challenges in adhering to the 144-hour schedule currently in place.
“Water supply during the period will be determined through reservoir levels till power is restored to Inyankuni dam,” Dube said.
