BULAWAYO — The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) will fork out US$5 000 to host a water summit aimed at finding a solution to the perennial water problems facing the municipality. By NQOBANI NDLOVU
South Africa’s MN Capital and the Ministry of Water Resources and Infrastructural Development will partner with the council to host the water summit scheduled to coincide with this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) at the end of the month.
Bulawayo mayor, Thaba Moyo is quoted in the latest council minutes saying sacrificing US$5 000 to co-host the summit was necessary, as the event would afford council an opportunity to meet investors who can help address water challenges faced by the city.
“The summit provides an opportunity for the city to interact with donors and investors in the water sector,” he said. “We will showcase projects at the summit exhibition stand to provide a better understanding and appreciation of the water situation in Bulawayo and the possible interventions.”
This year’s ZITF runs from April 23-27 under the theme Building Value, Enhancing Growth.
Bulawayo faces serious water sho-rtages, with residents subjected to three-day water rationing regimes every week.
The BCC has warned it would exte-nd the water rationing days to ensure that the little water at the city’s supply dams lasts up to the rainy season.
Indications were that the city would decommission three of its supply dams before July, a situation that would see the city only relying on Insiza and Inyankuni dams.
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The two dams supply 65 000 cubic metres of water a day against a demand of about 145 000 cubic metres.
Experts have said that Bulawayo’s water woes can only be eliminated through the implementation of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, a long-held plan to tap water from the Zambezi River.
