THE country’s major dams are about half full and supplies won’t last through the start of the next rainy season in October, Water Minister Oppah Muchingurihas warned.
“These are the chilling effects of the climate phenomenon which has not only affected Zimbabwe, but the whole SADC region,” Muchinguri-Kashiri told reporters in Harare Monday.
“This address is a clarion call for all of us to be highly responsible and adopt measures that will ensure that we go through the drought period together.”
The El Nino weather phenomenon has led to droughts across southern Africa this year, curbing production of key crops such as maize and led to water restrictions in the region.
Muchinguri-Kashiri said government needs to preserve and monitor existing water infrastructure with greater consistency and efficiency.
“Zimbabwe has more than 10,000 (water bodies) which are not being utilised or are under-utilised.
“This coupled with the unfortunate state of weather affairs has resulted in a disastrous effect on food security and loss of livestock in the country.”
Dams effectively drying up include Osborne in Manicaland which is 33 percent full, Chesa and Mazowe dams in Mashonaland Central which are 33 and 31 percent full respectively.
Seke and Kotwa dams in Mashonaland East are 34 and 14 percent full respectively, while Chibero and Suri Suri dams in Mashonaland West are at 29 and 35 percent of capacity.
Muchinguri-Kashiri said capacity in these dams has progressively declined over the past five years.
Most of the dams are used for water supply and irrigation purposes.
“Our water sources are drying up in all seven catchments - namely Runde, Manyame, Mazowe, Sanyati, Gwayi and Mzingwane - due to low rainfall patterns over the past five years,” she said.
The country's water table has generally also been decreasing rapidly "owing to limited or low recharge" levels, leaving those sinking wells and boreholes digging deeper for the precious liquid.
“There are 990 non-functional boreholes in Mashonaland West, Masvingo has 1,327, Midlands with 399, Matebeleland North 1,775, Matebeleland South has 2,087, Mashonaland East 2,074, Mashonaland Central 2,699 and Manicaland 1,640,” Muchinguri-Kashiri said.
Her ministry has now imposed stringent measures in both rural and urban communities to conserve water.
“The few boreholes that are still yielding potable water need to be well looked after by ensuring the water is not used for bulk water sales and brick moulding.
"Use water sparingly when irrigating crops, reduce water leakages in the water networks, plugging all leaks to reduce unaccounted water and to make use of gadgets that save water when bathing," Muchinguri-Kashiri said.
- New Zimbabwe