Staff Writer
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has warned that the country faces a water security crisis as reservoirs and water bodies dry up due to the ongoing drought.
The authority, that manages water resources in the country, said the number of towns, growth points and rural service centres whose raw water sources held less than 12 months of supplies had risen to 14.9% as of May 2, 2024, from 12,8% on April 25, 2024.
“The water security situation is expected to further decline as the year progresses. Towns and centres whose raw water sources have less than 12 months supply and will require urgent interventions such as the drilling of boreholes and identification of alternative raw water sources include Bulawayo, Mvurwi, Mt Darwin, Figtree, Gwanda and Chegutu,” Zinwa head of corporate communications Marjorie Munyonga said.
She noted that the proportion of towns, cities, growth points and rural service centres in the moderate category and whose raw water sources can last between 12 months and 20.9 months at current demand stood at 38.3%.
A proportion of 46.8% of towns, cities, growth points and rural service centres are water secure and their raw water sources satisfy the 21-month rule, she said.
The 21-month rule means that after the close of the rainy season on March 31 of the year, there should be enough water to last for 21 months at current demand and even in the absence of any further inflows.
Munyonga said Mutare, Kwekwe, Beitbridge, Karoi, Chipinge, Shurugwi, Murehwa, Sadza, Wedza and Insukamini are among centres in the moderate category and with raw water sources capable of lasting between 12 months and 20.9 months at current demand.
Centres that are water secure, according to Zinwa, include Harare, Concession, Inyati, Nzvimbo, Mutawatawa, Mashava, Zvishavane, Mberengwa, Bikita, Zaka, Gweru, Kadoma, Plumtree and Chinhoyi.
Zinwa said it will closely monitor water demand and abstractions in all the centres that cannot satisfy the 21-month rule and implement interventions as the need arises.
It said it will also monitor water use patterns in centres supplied using boreholes and sand abstraction and these include Gokwe, Tsholotsho, Dete, Madziva, Dotito, Chivi, Nembudziya and Birchenough Bridge.
El Niño, a naturally occurring climatic phenomenon that warms parts of the Pacific Ocean every two to seven years, has diverse effects on the world’s weather.
In Zimbabwe, this has been characterised by an extended period of widespread and substantial rainfall deficits in February, exacerbated by record-high temperatures.