The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
Some of the country’s major dams have started recording increases in water levels as most parts of the country continue to receive rains, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) has said. Statistics released by the authority show that water levels in main dams are rising, though slowly.Harare’s Chivero dam is 59.7 percent full after rising by 4 percent while the city’s other source of water, Manyame dam currently stands at 78 percent, reflecting a 1.7 percent rise.
Manicaland province’s Osborne Dam is 24.2 percent full, up by 1.7 percent while Bulawayo’s Mtshabezi dam stands at 46.1 percent, reflecting a 0.1 percent change.
Gwayi catchment’s Exchange dam is 88.9 percent full, showing a rise of 4.2 percent. Other dam water levels are however still low like Masvingo’s Mutirikwi dam which stands at 5.7 percent full, a rise of 0.2 percent and Mazowe dam is unchanged at 4.8 percent full.
Zinwa Corporate Communications and Marketing manager Marjorie Munyonga said the national dam water level average has also risen to 41,4 percent.
“Some of the country’s major dams have started recording increases in water levels as most parts of the country continue to receive rains. Wenimbi Dam and Nyambuya, both located near Marondera are already full.
“The national dam level average has also risen to 41, 4 percent though the figure is still below the national average expected during this time of the year. The dam level average is usually around 60 percent during this period of the year,” she said.
Munyonga said while appreciating the upward movement of dam levels, Zinwa, continues to urge consumers to use water sparingly and to practice rainwater harvesting.
“The Authority also appeals to irrigating farmers and other raw water users to ensure that they enter into water abstraction agreements with Zinwa as is required under the water Act. Any use without the necessary documentation is illegal and offenders are liable to prosecution or risk having their supplies disconnected,” she said.
Like a number of other Southern African countries, Zimbabwe did not receive adequate rainfall during the 2015/16 rainfall season, which led to crop failure and inadequate water supply for people and animals.
But this rainfall season, the Meteorological Services Department has announced that the country would receive normal to above normal rains. – New Ziana.
