By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Beitbridge-The water supply situation in Beitbridge is expected to remain erratic as major water sources continue to dry up, leading to increased concerns among residents.
The local authority is currently grappling with a dire water crisis following the installation of a prepaid bulk raw water meter at the water treatment plant. This measure aims to compel the municipality to settle its outstanding debt, which exceeds ZWG3 million.
The Beitbridge council is struggling to secure adequate funding for water supplies, as it is owed over $45 million by residents, ratepayers, and government departments.
With an estimated population of 100,000, the town requires a minimum of 18 mega litres of water daily to meet its needs.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) provided an update on the situation, noting that the ongoing drought has significantly impacted water levels in Beitbridge Dam 1. As a result, water outflows from off-river storage have decreased considerably.
“ZINWA supplies bulk raw water to Beitbridge Municipality which the council in turn treats and supplies to residents. ZINWA pumps raw water from the Limpopo River into off-river storage dams during the months when the Limpopo River is in flood. The Municipality of Beitbridge is then supplying water from these off-river storage dams to its water treatment plant,” explained ZINWA.
The authority further elaborated on the challenges posed by the recent drought, stating, “Pumping from the Limpopo River was limited in the past rainfall season due to the El Nino induced drought. The pumping from the Limpopo River, on average, extends to August of each year. This year, the flows in the Limpopo River were too low to allow pumping as early as April 2024.”
To alleviate the situation, ZINWA released water from Zhovhe Dam on October 2 to augment the raw water supply in the off-river storage dams. However, the dam is currently only 42.6% full, affecting the overall outflow rate.
The authority noted that the water from Zhovhe Dam typically takes about one month to reach the off-river storage dams in Beitbridge. As of Thursday this week, the current water releases were approximately 5km away from the town.
“Normal supplies are expected to normalize in the coming few days, and stakeholders will be updated of any new developments as they occur,” ZINWA stated, providing a glimmer of hope amid the ongoing water supply challenges facing Beitbridge.