Some eastern suburbs in Bulawayo will endure more days without water supplies due to a major pipe burst along the pipeline from Fernhill to Tuli Reservoir.
The city is already under a 120-hour water shedding programme.
In a statement, Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube said the affected suburbs were Lorchview, Sunninghill, Marlands, Glencoe, Riverside, Waterford, Manningdale, Wills Grove, Buenavista, Douglasdale, Esigodini, Imbizo Barracks, Fourtunesgate, Selbourne Park, Matsheumhlophe, Parklands, Khumalo, Queenspark, Suburbs, Mahatshula, Woodville, Kingsdale and surrounding areas
Dube added that the water supply disruption was caused by the burst of a 30-inch pipeline 5 km from Fernhill and the repairs are projected to be completed by Wednesday.
“The city of Bulawayo would like to advise members of the public that there has been a burst on the 30-inch pipeline 5km from Frenhill. As a result, council will be implementing emergency shut down on the line to facilitate and effect the repairs,” said Dube.
The Town Clerk urged residents in the affected areas to conserve the water they have to see them through to the completion of the repairs.
“Residents are urged to conserve the water they might be holding to see them through as the repairs are projected to be completed by end of day Tuesday May 5 and the situation return to normalcy by Wednesday morning. All efforts are being done to ensure that repairs are completed earlier than projected,” said Dube.
The local authority, together with Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, have implored the President of Zimbabwe and the government to declare the city as a water shortage area.
In a bid to avert a major crisis, the government availed ZWL$10.6 million to the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) to rehabilitate 5 boreholes at the Nyamandlovu aquifer, a development expected to increase water supply to Bulawayo.
