Faith Duri
Masvingo City Council is losing lots of water in transmission due to an old and malfunctioning system, with 1800 cubic meters (m3) of water lost in Rujeko as at May 4, 2022.
This was revealed in the council minutes of proceedings of the Public Works and Planning Committee meeting dated May 09, 2022 under the section (vii) and (viii) named water fitting and DMA1 (Rujeko).
The minutes state that the total of water supplied and the total water billed is different and it leaves a total of 18 401 cubic meters water unaccounted for.
“It was reported that three bulk water meters were installed in Rujeko area and the readings were taken on May 4 2022 with the following readings: the total water supplied is 78 587m3, total water billed was 60 186 m3 while total water lost was 18 401 m3 and non- revenue water is 23.41 percent,” read the minutes.
There were also reported cases of water pipe bursts in Rujeko area.
“It was reported that the section recorded and attended to 85 pipe bursts, 5 water meter connections, 63 meter replacements and 3 sewer connections during the month of April 2022,” read the minutes.
Masvingo council has been often accused of failing to fulfill their mandate in terms of adequate clean water provision to its residents despite several litres lost during transmission.
Due to the breakages of water pipes 23.41% of the water that is supposed to go to residents’ households is lost as stated in the minutes.
Masvingo city has been experiencing perennial water challenges in recent years due to ballooning population which is way above its pumping capacity.
The population in Masvingo is reported around 150 000 yet the water supply system is designed to supply 80 000 people and the system is able to supply 38 mega liters per day of a daily demand estimated at 45 mega liters.
At one point in 2021, council was reported to be pumping half-treated water to residents while barely a month ago residents went for more than two weeks with dry taps.
