Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has started rehabilitating Nyamandlovu Aquifer boreholes to mitigate Bulawayo’s urgent water woes, The Chronicle reports. This comes as the water crisis in Bulawayo worsened as some suburbs like Magwegwe have gone for over a month without running water. The Rehabilitation process will enable ZINWA to draw 8 megaliters of water from Nyamandlovu as it is currently drawing 3 megaliters from the plant.
Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga spoke to the publication and shed more light on the project:
Zinwa has already completed the flushing of the boreholes that are set to be equipped and connected. The authority will also repair leaking pipes at Nyamandlovu. Zinwa has since procured the necessary pumps and pipes which have already been transported to the project site. Zinwa teams have also moved on the ground, marking the commencement of the emergency project.
We are cognisant of the fact that this is an emergency situation as Bulawayo is facing serious water shortages. Our original plan was to complete in eight weeks but we are working towards reducing this as we are getting most of our supplies from local suppliers.
The overall objective of the project is the improvement of water pumping capacity from Nyamandlovu (Rochester) through the procurement and installation of three transformers, equipping and connecting 15 additional boreholes. There is however the possibility of equipping and connecting a total of 20 boreholes at Nyamandlovu Aquifer.
Bulawayo which has been battling a dire water crisis requires 130 megaliters of water every day.
More: The Chronicle