The city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe is grappling with a severe water crisis, as the local authority struggles to keep the newly established water kiosks filled to meet the demand of residents.
In 2021, the council set up the water kiosks in an effort to address the city’s water shortages, which were caused by low levels at the supply dams. This water crisis had previously triggered a deadly outbreak of typhoid and dysentery in the Luveve high-density suburb, resulting in 13 deaths and over 1,800 infections.
However, the current situation remains dire, with residents going for days without access to water. The council has had to decommission one of the main supply dams, Umzingwane, and warns that the Upper Ncema and Lower Ncema dams may also be shut down around August.
The council’s senior public relations officer, Nesisa Mpofu, explained that the water kiosks are dependent on bowsers (water tankers) to transport the limited water supply, as the city’s own tanker resources are constrained. Of the seven bowsers available, only three are functional, with one dedicated to supplying clinics.
The government has refused to declare Bulawayo a water crisis area, which would have enabled the local authority to seek external support to alleviate the situation. The long-term solution, the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, has been delayed for decades despite efforts by activists like the late Arnold Payne to raise funds and awareness.
The council has even considered the option of recycling the heavily polluted water from the Khami Dam, the city’s first supply dam, which was decommissioned in 1988 due to the level of contamination. However, this would require an estimated $26 million to purify the water for consumption.
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