Source: ‘We have enough water’ | The Herald June 15, 2018
The rains are now over and it is once again that time of the year when the water harvested during the wet season counts. The dry season is a period when the country receives little to no rains and has to rely on water stored in reservoirs such as dams and weirs.
With the country having received quite considerable rains in the last season, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) which is the country’s water resources management lead agency wishes to assure the nation that the dams currently hold sufficient water to meet the country’s domestic, irrigation , mining and industrial requirements. Most of the dams are still almost full and those supplying water to urban areas satisfy the 21 month rule.
This means the dams have enough water to take the towns and cities for the next 21 months even in the event that no more inflows are recorded.
As at June 2018, the national dam level average stood at 82,4 percent with the dam level average for Gwayi catchment standing at 82,7 percent. The dam level average for Manyame Catchment was 98,4 percent, Mazowe Catchment 99,5 percent, Mzingwane Catchment 87,1 percent, Runde Catchment 72 percent, Sanyati Catchment 96,3 percent and Save Catchment 89,8 percent.
The table below shows the state of some of the major dams as at June 8, 2018:
However, despite these high water levels, water remains a finite resource whose conversation cannot be overemphasised. People should conserve the resource in their different spheres. Water conservation is every water user’s responsibility.
Those wishing to use water from the Zinwa managed dams, for purposes other than primary purposes are required to visit their nearest Zinwa catchment offices and enter sign water abstraction agreements as provided for in the law. Any use of raw water without the necessary legal documentation constitutes a criminal offence.
For more information please contact the Zinwa Corporate Communications and Marketing Department on callcentre@zinwa.co.zw. You can also like the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Facebook Page or alternatively follow us on Twitter @zinwawater
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